ArticleInsights into imaging2016
Infection prevention and ultrasound probe decontamination practices in Europe: a survey of the European Society of Radiology.
Article in Insights into imaging, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- Detection of Burkholderia gladioli in contaminated ultrasonic coupling agent.BMC microbiology · 2025Article
- Optimizing Ultrasound Probe Disinfection for Healthcare-Associated Infection Control: A Comparative Analysis of Disinfectant Efficacy.Microorganisms · 2024Review
- Emergency ward ultrasound: clinical audit on disinfection practices during routine and sterile examinations.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2021Article
- Position statement and best practice recommendations on the imaging use of ultrasound from the European Society of Radiology ultrasound subcommittee.Insights into imaging · 2020Article
- Patient Safety in Medical Imaging: a joint paper of the European Society of Radiology (ESR) and the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS).Insights into imaging · 2019Article
- Risk of infection following semi-invasive ultrasound procedures in Scotland, 2010 to 2016: A retrospective cohort study using linked national datasets.Ultrasound (Leeds, England) · 2018Article
- Infection prevention and control in ultrasound - best practice recommendations from the European Society of Radiology Ultrasound Working Group.Insights into imaging · 2017Article
- Contemporary Management of Cleaning and Disinfection Processes for Echocardiographic Equipment and Probes: National Real-world Data from an Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging Survey.Journal of cardiovascular echographyArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 5 institutions in 5 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesAlthough ultrasound (US) is considered one of the safest imaging modalities, concerns have been raised regarding potential infection transmission risks through US procedures. A survey was undertaken by the European Society of Radiology (ESR) to establish infection prevention and control measures in US and to highlight the importance of good medical practice.
methodsAn online survey was sent to all 22,000 full ESR members.
resultsThe response rate of completed surveys was 4.3 % (946 practitioners, 97 % of which were radiologists, mostly working in larger hospital settings). Among respondents, 29 %, 11 % and 6 % did not disinfect the US probe after every patient when performing standard surface US, endo-cavity US and interventional procedures, respectively. Eleven percent did not always use probe covers for endo-cavity US; for interventional procedures, the proportion was 23 %. A minority used sterile gel sachets in direct patient contact for endo-cavity scans (30 %), and 77.5 % used sterile gel for interventional procedures.
conclusionsThe survey results highlight a wide range of practices throughout Europe and the need to raise awareness amongst practitioners regarding the importance of infection prevention and control measures. The development of European recommendations encompassing all US examinations, together with education is a priority. MAIN MESSAGES: • Transmission of infection through ultrasound procedures is possible. • There is a wide range of ultrasound probe decontamination practices in Europe. • Not all practitioners use probe covers for endo-cavity or interventional ultrasound. • Not all practitioners use sterile gel for internal and invasive procedures. • Currently there are no European recommendations encompassing all US examinations.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.