Covid-19 infection in cancer patients: the management in a diagnostic unit
Article Category: Review
Publié en ligne: 05 mars 2021
Pages: 121 - 129
Reçu: 17 sept. 2020
Accepté: 19 déc. 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2021-0010
© 2021 Vincenza Granata, Roberta Fusco, Francesco Izzo, Sergio Venanzio Setola, Michele Coppola, Roberta Grassi, Alfonso Reginelli, Salvatore Cappabianca, Roberto Grassi, Antonella Petrillo, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Background
COVID-19 infection is particularly aggressive in frail patients, as cancer patients. Therefore, the more suitable management of the oncological patient requires a multidisciplinary assessment, to identify which patients should be treated, as inpatients or outpatients, and which treatments can be procrastinated.
Conclusions
The role of radiologist is crucial, and, all cancer patients who need an imaging evaluation will need to be studied, using the most appropriate imaging tools related to the clinical question and paying a special attention to preserve public health. Guidelines are necessary in the correct organization of a radiology unit to manage patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection, and whenever possible, a satellite radiography center with dedicated equipment should be used to decrease the transmission risk.