Imaging in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) plays a crucial role in patient care, chest radiography is the most requested exam for COVID – 19 patients in ICU context. The high risk of exposure to the virus may influence the quality of the exams. The objective of this study is to compare the fulfillment of the criteria for good performance in chest radiography in the ICU, before and during the critical phase of the pandemic COVID-19. Thirty-two images were evaluated, sixteen before the pandemic and sixteen to COVID – 19 patients, according to a scale of 8 items, scored 8 to 25 points, inversely proportional to the degree of compliance. There were no significant differences in the mean values between the groups, except in the presence of artifacts, showing that the images performed on COVID - 19 patients met these criteria better/more effectively. The results suggest that, in spite of the increased stress resulting from exposure to the new virus, the quality standard in the ICU exams is maintained.

In order to improve hygiene procedures in the emergency radiology room, after conducting radiological exams in patients suspected of COVID19, a bibliographic, observation and experiential research was carried out. The understanding of this procedure allowed to obtain a set of improvements through some reorganization, which minimized the risk of transmission between the professionals involved and the patients. Experiential observation provided the elaboration of an adjustable plan to this situation in an emergency context taking into account their particularities and needs.

An outbreak of pneumonia associated to a new coronavirus appeared in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, in the province of Hubei, China and was named as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is highly contagious which led to the adaptation of new performance techniques in hospital scenarios such as Operating Room. Faced with this new reality, the Radiographer who as an increasingly relevant participation in several surgical interventions, now has an increased responsibility in the handling of its equipment and in the correct use of personal protective equipment in order to reduce the risks of spreading the infectious agent between professionals and patients. This study comes from the experience that the Technical Team of Radiology obtained through a surgical intervention performed at the Coimbra Hospital and University Center (CHUC) to a patient with positive COVID-19. Several conclusions were drawn from this study, such as the enormous importance of good interdisciplinary communication and the creation of Operating Room procedure protocols suitable for COVID-19 positive patients by the Radiology Technical Team.

Despite the role that Radiographers play in the NHS, which is not properly recognized, and the several struggles they have faced in trying to obtain a attractive and fair career, it would be unimaginable that they would have a totally different fight against an unknown virus. Due to its extreme speed of dissemination and its pandemic incidence, there was a need to adapt practices and services in order to minimize the risk of infection. Thus, this document intends to identify the available evidence related to the role of radiographers and the adopted strategies in order to minimize the risk of infection. Using different research descriptors, a literature review was carried out in the several databases (Scopus, ScienceDirect, Pubmed and Scielo), and a total of 25 final documents were obtained. These were analyzed using an adapted version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Program. The evidence identifies several organizational approaches in radiology departments and in the radiographer practices, in order to provide an adequate and safe response in the current context. The awareness and knowledge of protection procedures are referred to as priorities, which must be obtained through appropriate training and education. Radiographers are frontline warriors in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic and have played an irreplaceable role in the provision of healthcare.

COVID-19 is the new highly contagious coronavirus, with a transmission chain closely related to the propagation of viral agents through droplets. Radiographers play a key role in the acquisition of radiology images, which are essential to the viruscarrying patient follow up, hence the need to establish proper standards to guide them for a correct individual and community protection. Personal protective equipment, in particular surgical masks and respirators FFP2 or N95, are of extreme importance for pandemic prevention and control in hospital context, being fundamental the recognition of its correct management and use. A search was made of several scientific articles with contents related to PPE, to different types of masks in pandemic contexts, with special focus on the real pandemic of coronavirus, where the importance of using FFP2 masks by health professionals was demonstrated in direct treatment of suspicious respiratory symptoms or COVID positive patients. Wearing surgical masks has special importance in order to protect groups in general, of breaths particles retention at their source.