Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35347510›Full record

ArticleInsights into imaging2022

Contamination of CT scanner surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 and infective potential after examination of invasively ventilated, non-invasively ventilated and non-ventilated patients with positive throat swabs: prospective investigation using real-time reverse-transcription PCR and viral cell culture.

Friedemann Göhler, Victor M Corman, Tobias Bleicker, Andrea Stroux, Marc Dewey, Torsten Diekhoff

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Insights into imaging, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 38% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Friedemann GöhlerDepartment of Radiology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Victor M CormanInstitute of Virology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Tobias BleickerInstitute of Virology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Andrea StrouxInstitute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Marc Dewey *Department of Radiology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany. marc.dewey@charite.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4402-2733
Torsten Diekhoff *Department of Radiology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin · DEZimmer Biomet (Germany) · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDuring the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, computed tomography (CT) has become widely used in patients with suspected or known coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This prospective observational study in 28 invasively ventilated and 18 non-invasively ventilated patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 contamination aims at investigating SARS-CoV-2 contamination of CT scanner surfaces and its infectiousness.

methodsSwab sampling of the CT table and gantry before and after CT examinations was performed. Additionally, the CT ventilation system air grid was wiped off after each examination. Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 RNA (ribonucleic acid) and viral cell culture were performed in the virology core lab.

resultsAfter examination of non-invasively ventilated or non-ventilated patients, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found in 11.1% (4/36) on patient near surfaces (CT table and gantry) and in 16.7% (3/18) on the CT air grid respectively after examination of invasively ventilated patients in 5.4% (3/56) on CT table and gantry and 7.1% (2/28) on the CT air grid. Surface contamination was more common in non-invasively ventilated or non-ventilated patients with a high viral load who were actively coughing. RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) was high (35.96-39.31) in all positive samples and no positive viral cell culture was found.

conclusionOur study suggests that CT scanner surface contamination with SARS-CoV-2 is considerable and more common after examination of non-invasively ventilated or non-ventilated patients compared to invasively ventilated patients. However, no viral cell culture positivity was found, hence the infectious potential seems low.

Indexed as

COVID-19Cross infectionDisease transmission (Infectious)SARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID35347510
PMCPMC8960101
OpenAlexW4220703448

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.