Infection prevention remains a top-of-mind concern for healthcare practices across the country. The CDC classifies the fight against healthcare-acquired infections as a winnable battle and stresses the importance of proper disinfection practices and infection control measures in the effort to lower the risk of transmission. A survey from the European Society of Radiology (ESR), however, gave alarming insights into how some practitioners fail to follow proper disinfection practices for their ultrasound probes.

To reduce the risk of infection, ultrasound probes should be disinfected with medical-grade solutions after each use. Nonetheless, the ESR survey revealed that about 29% of practitioners did not disinfect the ultrasound probe after each patient. Furthermore, it is mandatory that probe covers be used for procedures where the risk of infection is high, such as transvaginal or transrectal procedures. 11% of the surveyed practitioners failed to use a probe cover during either of these. Sterile ultrasound gel is also the preferred choice for procedures that take place in high-risk areas; however, 30% of those surveyed did not use a sterile gel for their endocavity scans.

The survey was conducted online and sent to 22,000 full ESR members. The response rate of completed surveys stood at 4.3% (97% of whom were radiologists working in large hospitals). The results showed a wide array of ultrasound probe disinfection practices in Europe and authors of the survey noted how it revealed that education is an urgent priority.

“These survey results underscore the importance of raising awareness amongst clinicians of the risks of infection associated with ultrasound, in particular when transducers are in contact with mucous membranes and potentially infected bodily fluids,” wrote lead author Dr. Christiane Nyhsen, consultant radiologist at City Hospitals Sunderland, U.K., and fellow members of the ESR Working Group on Ultrasound. “Expert European recommendations are needed to educate clinicians, guide best practices, and ensure that safe patient care is provided.”

Ultrasound is considered one of the safest imaging modalities. However, in an article published in Insights into Imaging, Dr. Nyhsen and colleagues wrote that concerns have been raised about the risks of healthcare-acquired infection transmission on ultrasound probes. The team created a survey to establish infection prevention and control measures in ultrasound and give prominence to the importance of good medical practice.

Using an online survey software, the researchers posed 22 questions about location, nature of the practice (private center versus hospital), size of the facility, and number of yearly ultrasound procedures. The survey also recorded known incidents involving the transmission of a healthcare-acquired infection. The final part of the survey gathered data on the ultrasound gel used both in direct contact with the patient and inside probe covers.