Infection Control and Care of Sensors

As with other radiographic procedures, the use of digital detectors requires the same high standards of infection control. Unfortunately, the digital detectors create a greater challenge since they are not disposable. Another problem is that there is a higher potential for damaging them since they are reusable. Damage can result in the production of artifacts that may interfere with the diagnosis of disease. Plastic barriers such as finger cots, plastic bags, or plastic film barrier envelopes have been found in most cases to be effective in protecting the receptor from becoming contaminated. The plastic barriers should be removed after use on each patient to prevent crosscontamination.

PSP sensors can be wiped off with an alcohol swab, but alcohol is not a tuberculocidal-disinfecting agent; therefore every effort should be made to keep saliva from contaminating the plates. Prior to reusing the PSP receptor, the image must be cleared or erased (Figure. 8). When clearing the image from the PSP sensor, the viewbox can be draped with a plastic cover for infection control. Another alternative is to turn the viewbox upside down under a counter so that the PSP sensor can be laid on a barrier sheet and placed under the light.