Journal
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS FERROELECTRICS AND FREQUENCY CONTROL
Volume 67, Issue 11, Pages 2241-2248Publisher
IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC
DOI: 10.1109/TUFFC.2020.3020721
Keywords
Ultrasonic imaging; Hospitals; Robots; 5G mobile communication; Urban areas; Medical diagnostic imaging; 5G network; coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); infectious disease; telerobotics; ultrasound
Categories
Funding
- Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province [819QN376]
- Major Science and Technology Project of Hainan Province [ZDKJ2019012]
- Military Medical Research Program of PLA General Hospital [CX19025, QNC19050]
- National MOST 13.5 Key Projects [2016YFC0105006]
- Talents Development Project of Sanya City
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Early diagnosis is critical for the prevention and control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We attempted to apply a protocol using teleultrasound, which is supported by the 5G network, to explore the feasibility of solving the problem of early imaging assessment of COVID-19. Four male patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 were hospitalized in isolation wards in two different cities. Ultrasound specialists, located in two other different cities, carried out the robot-assisted teleultrasound and remote consultation in order to settle the problem of early cardiopulmonary evaluation. Lung ultrasound, brief echocardiography, and blood volume assessment were performed. Whenever difficulties of remote manipulation and diagnosis occurred, the alternative examination was repeated by a specialist from another city, and in sequence, remote consultation was conducted immediately to meet the consensus. The ultrasound specialists successfully completed the telerobotic ultrasound. Lung ultrasound indicated signs of pneumonia with varying degrees in all cases and mild pleural effusion in one case. No abnormalities of cardiac structure and function and blood volume were detected. Remote consultation on the issue of manipulation practice, and the diagnosis in one case was conducted. The cardiopulmonary information was delivered to the frontline clinicians immediately for further treatment. The practice of teleultrasound protocol makes early diagnosis and repeated assessment available in the isolation ward. Ultrasound specialists can be protected from infection, and personal protective equipment can be spared. Quality control can be ensured by remote consultations among doctors. This protocol is worth consideration as a feasible strategy for early imaging assessment in the COVID-19 pandemic.
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