Coronavirus (COVID-19)

This page contains medical information for clinicians on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19, also called 2019-nCoV and now clinically SARS‐CoV‐2). This section includes articles on medical imaging of the virus for radiologists, new technologies being deployed to fight the virus and clinical information from various sources. Here are direct links for medical professionals to COVID-19 resources from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Daily world-wide statistics on the coronavirus outbreak are available from the WHO Situations Reports. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) frequently asked questions and answers (FAQs) for healthcare providers regarding Medicare payment for laboratory tests and other services related to the COVID-19

AI Can Improve How Chest Images Are Used in Care of COVID-19 Patients

June 4, 2020 — According to a recent report by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, artificial intelligence (AI) should be used to expand the...
How COVID-19 Effects the Brain in Neuroimaging

Four recent radiology studies, from New York, Italy, Iran and China, show how COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) impacts the brain of some infected patients.
CT Findings of Coronavirus in Children Often Negative

May 29, 2020 — An investigation published open-access in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) revealed a high frequency of negative chest
RSNA Annual Meeting Goes Virtual for 2020

May 26, 2020 — The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) announced today that its 106th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, previously scheduled to be held Nov. 29 – Dec.
Lungs of Deceased COVID-19 Patients Show Distinctive Features

May 22, 2020 — In a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), senior author ...

Although it is likely that existing ultrasound systems will be repurposed to treat COVID-19 patients, growth is still expected as companies plan to ramp up production. The ultrasound systems market will therefore outpace other diagnostic imaging such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Leading data and analytics company GlobalData forecasts the market will reach $6bn by 2028, but increased usage due to COVID-19 is anticipated have a tangible effect.

News | Ultrasound Imaging | June 05, 2020

Ultrasound Systems Market to Outpace Other Imaging Modalities for COVID-19 Diagnostics

June 5, 2020 — Although it is likely that existing ultrasound systems will be repurposed to treat COVID-19 patients,...

Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs - Food and Drug Administration, discussed The COVID-19 Pandemic — Finding Solutions, Applying Lessons Learned, on June 1

Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs - Food and Drug Administration

News | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | June 05, 2020

Remarks by Commissioner Stephen Hahn, M.D. on the COVID-19 Pandemic

June 5, 2020 — The following speech was delivered by Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs - Food and...

Chief among the myriad practical updates to minimize risks for patients and imaging personnel alike is a tiered approach for delaying both outpatient and inpatient cross-sectional interventional procedures

For procedural delays that will not adversely affect patient outcome, Fananapazir and colleagues proposed the following tiered approach for both outpatient and inpatient scenarios: urgent procedures, procedures that should be performed within 2 weeks, procedures that should be performed within 2 months, and procedures that can safely be delayed 2 or 6 months. Courtesy of American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR)

News | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | June 05, 2020

Interventional Radiologists Modify Protocol for Coronavirus Disease

June 5, 2020 — An open-access article in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) details myriad practical updates...

According to a recent report by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, artificial intelligence (AI) should be used to expand the role of chest X-ray imaging — using computed tomography, or CT — in diagnosing and assessing coronavirus infection so that it can be more than just a means of screening for signs of COVID-19 in a patient's lungs.

Getty images

News | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | June 04, 2020

AI Can Improve How Chest Images Are Used in Care of COVID-19 Patients

June 4, 2020 — According to a recent report by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, artificial intelligence (AI) should...

This is Figure 2 from the article in Radiology: Acute encephalopathy. A 60 year-old-man without history of seizures presenting with convulsion. (A-B) Multifocal areas of FLAIR hyperintensity in the right cerebellum (arrows in A), left anterior cingular cortex and superior frontal gyrus (arrows in B). (C-D) Restricted diffusion in the left anterior cingulate cortex, superior frontal and middle temporal gyrus (arrows in D) and right cerebellum (arrows in E), consistent with cerebellar diaschisis. F) #COVID19

This is Figure 2 from the article in Radiology: Acute encephalopathy. A 60 year-old-man without history of seizures presenting with convulsion. (A-B) Multifocal areas of FLAIR hyperintensity in the right cerebellum (arrows in A), left anterior cingular cortex and superior frontal gyrus (arrows in B). (C-D) Restricted diffusion in the left anterior cingulate cortex, superior frontal and middle temporal gyrus (arrows in D) and right cerebellum (arrows in E), consistent with cerebellar diaschisis. F) No hemosiderin deposits in gradient echo sequences.

Feature | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | June 02, 2020 | Dave Fornell, Editor

How COVID-19 Effects the Brain in Neuroimaging

Four recent radiology studies, from New York, Italy, Iran and China, show how COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) impacts the brain ...

Blog | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | June 02, 2020

Charting the “New Normal”

COVID-19 continues to hold its grip on the world. This rapidly developing pandemic has dominated headlines since it...

Blog | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | June 02, 2020

Can Artificial Intelligence Help Against Coronavirus?

Flattening the curve. Slowing the spread. I have yet to read — or hear — anyone say we are trying to stop the...

News | Nuclear Imaging | June 01, 2020

Nuclear Cardiology Optimistic About Return to Pre-COVID-19 Exam Levels

June 1, 2020 — While acknowledging the challenges their specialty is facing, more than two-thirds of respondents to an...

Largest case series (n=30) to date yields high frequency (77%) of negative chest CT findings among pediatric patients (10 months-18 years) with COVID-19, while also suggesting common findings in subset of children with positive CT findings

A and B, Unenhanced chest CT scans show minimal GGOs (right lower and left upper lobes) (arrows) and no consolidation. Only two lobes were affected, and CT findings were assigned CT severity score of 2. Image courtesy of American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR)

News | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | May 29, 2020

CT Findings of Coronavirus in Children Often Negative

May 29, 2020 — An investigation published open-access in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) revealed a high...

The paradox is that COVID-19 has manifested the critical need for exactly what the rules require: advancement of interoperability and digital online access to clinical data and imaging, at scale, for care coordination and infection control.

The paradox is that COVID-19 has manifested the critical need for exactly what the rules require: advancement of interoperability and digital online access to clinical data and imaging, at scale, for care coordination and infection control. Getty Images

Feature | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | May 28, 2020 | By Matthew A. Michela

The Irony of COVID-19

One year after being proposed, federal rules to advance interoperability in healthcare and create easier access for...

The opportunity to converge the silos of data into a cross-functional analysis can provide immense value during the COVID-19 outbreak and in the future

Getty Images

Feature | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | May 28, 2020 | By Jeff Vachon

3 Strategies to Leverage Medical Imaging Data During the Pandemic

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic normal routines seem like a distant memory for many. The same holds very true...

In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared Intelerad’s InteleConnect EV solution for diagnostic image review on a range of mobile devices.

Feature | PACS | May 27, 2020 | By Melinda Taschetta-Millane

The Impact of COVID-19 on the PACS Market

Fast, easily accessible patient images are crucial in this day and age, as imaging and medical records take on a new...

Off-site imaging companies are playing a key role in the fight against COVID-19

Feature | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | May 26, 2020 | By Sean Zahniser

Imaging Through the Coronavirus Pandemic

After the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, hospitals are going to be overwhelmed with a large number of...

The Philips Lumify point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) system assessing a patient in the emergency room combined with telehealth to enable real-time collaboration with other physicians.

The Philips Lumify point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) system assessing a patient in the emergency room combined with telehealth to enable real-time collaboration with other physicians.

News | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | May 26, 2020

FDA Clears Philips Ultrasound Portfolio to Image COVID-19 Related Lung and Cardiac Complications

May 26, 2020 — Philips Healthcare recently received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...

$An example of DiA'a automated ejection fraction AI software on the GE vScan POCUS system at RSNA 2019.$

An example of DiA'a automated ejection fraction AI software on the GE vScan POCUS system at RSNA 2019. Photo by Dave Fornell.

News | Ultrasound Imaging | May 26, 2020

DiA Imaging Analysis Receives Grant to Accelerate Access Ultrasound AI in Fight Against COVID-19

May 12, 2020 — DiA Imaging Analysis, a provider of AI based ultrasound analysis solutions, said it received a...

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) announced today that its 106th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, previously scheduled to be held Nov. 29 – Dec. 4, 2020, at McCormick Place in Chicago, will be held as an all-virtual event Nov. 29 – Dec. 5.

News | RSNA | May 26, 2020

RSNA Annual Meeting Goes Virtual for 2020

May 26, 2020 — The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) announced today that its 106th Scientific Assembly and...

Recently the versatility of mixed and augmented reality products has come to the forefront of the news, with an Imperial led project at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Doctors have been wearing the Microsoft Hololens headsets whilst working on the front lines of the COVID pandemic, to aid them in their care for their patients. IDTechEx have previously researched this market area in its report “Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality 2020-2030: Forecasts, Markets and Technologies”, which predicts th

Doctors wearing the Hololens Device. Source: Imperial.ac.uk

News | Artificial Intelligence | May 22, 2020

Mixed Reality in a Time of COVID-19

May 22, 2020 — Recently the versatility of mixed and augmented reality products has come to the forefront of the news,...

Lymphocytic Inflammation in a Lung from a Patient Who Died from Covid-19. The gross appearance of a lung from a patient who died from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is shown in Panel A (the scale bar corresponds to 1 cm). The histopathological examination, shown in Panel B, revealed interstitial and perivascular predominantly lymphocytic pneumonia with multifocal endothelialitis (hematoxylin–eosin staining; the scale bar corresponds to 200 μm).

Lymphocytic Inflammation in a Lung from a Patient Who Died from Covid-19. The gross appearance of a lung from a patient who died from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is shown in Panel A (the scale bar corresponds to 1 cm). The histopathological examination, shown in Panel B, revealed interstitial and perivascular predominantly lymphocytic pneumonia with multifocal endothelialitis (hematoxylin–eosin staining; the scale bar corresponds to 200 μm). Image courtesy of The New England Journal of Medicine

News | Coronavirus (COVID-19) | May 22, 2020

Lungs of Deceased COVID-19 Patients Show Distinctive Features

May 22, 2020 — In a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), senior author Steven J. Mentzer, M.D.,...