We investigated whether the internal gantry components of our computed tomography (CT) scanner contain severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ribonucleic acid (RNA), bacterial or fungal agents . From 1 to 27 March 2020, we performed 180 examinations of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection using a dedicated CT scanner. On 27 March 2020, this CT gantry was opened and sampled in each of the following components: (a) gantry case; (b) inward airflow filter; (c) gantry motor; (d) x-ray tube; (e) outflow fan; (f) fan grid; (g) detectors; and (h) x-ray tube filter. To detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA, samples were analysed using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). To detect bacterial or fungal agents, samples have been collected using “replicate organism detection and counting” contact plates of 24 cm 2 , containing tryptic soy agar, and subsequently cultured. RT-PCR detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the inward airflow filter sample. RT-PCR of remaining gantry samples did not reveal the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Neither bacterial nor fungal agents grew in the agar-based growth medium after the incubation period. Our data showed that SARS-Cov-2 RNA can be found inside the CT gantry only in the inward airflow filter. All remaining CT gantry components were devoid of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, patient safety, Safety management, Tomography scanners (x-ray computed), 【초록키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, SARS-COV-2 infection, RT-PCR, RNA, Computed tomography, Patient, Incubation period, SARS-CoV-2 RNA, fungal, Bacterial, Contact, acute respiratory syndrome, organism, component, performed, detect, collected, investigated, analysed, growth medium, 【제목키워드】 the SARS-CoV-2,