Investigation reveals COVID-19 contamination within CT scanner
A recent investigation uncovered ribonucleic acid from COVID-19 present on internal components of a computed tomography scanner. Contamination, however, was contained to a filter within the machine, experts explained in a new study.
Researchers out of the University of Genoa in Genova, Italy, shared their findings Oct. 1 in European Radiology Experimental. The team took apart a scanner used in 180 consecutive exams for patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
They only found RNA contamination in the inward airflow filter, which is a positive sign for hospitals relying on CT during the ongoing pandemic.
“Our study found SARS-CoV-2 RNA only in the inward airflow filter. All other gantry sampling sites were free of SARS-CoV-2 RNA,” João Matos, with the Italian institution’s Department of Health Sciences, and colleagues wrote. “These results are encouraging since this filter may act as a partial barrier to the virus.”
For their research, Matos et al. set out to determine if COVID-19 could contaminate the internal gantry components of a 16-slice CT scanner used to frequently examine patients with the novel virus over a 26-day stretch.
To do this, they took a sample from multiple pieces including the gantry case, inward airflow filter, gantry motor, x-ray tube, outflow fan, fan grid, detectors, and x-ray tube filter. Each sample received reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing.
All the internal components, besides the inward airflow filter, showed no signs of contamination, the authors noted.
“In conclusion, SARS-Cov-2 RNA was found internally in the CT gantry only in the inward airflow filter,” Matos and colleagues added. “All remaining CT gantry zones were devoid of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. No bacterial or fungal cultures were obtained from internal CT gantry sampling zones.”
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.