The College has been asked to pass on the following message from RANZCR:

RANZCR fully recognises the key role of frontline general practitioners in management of this pandemic.  We are seeing a rapid increase in the number of confirmed and suspected COVID–19 patients in recent days and would like to request your help in order to protect them, our other patients and practice staff to ensure continuity of our ability to provide healthcare services to our community.

1. Please be aware that chest CT and chest radiography (x – ray) are not accurate for the diagnosis of COVID–19 disease in either early or advanced stages nor for distinguishing it from other causes of community - acquired pneumonia. Medical imaging is useful for detecting complications, such as empyema, or for monitoring the progress of severe COVID–19 disease in hospitalised patients and for distinguishing pneumonia from other causes of similar symptoms, such as malignancy or pulmonary embolism. 

2. If your patient does not meet CURRENT criteria for nasal swab PCR testing based on being a suspected case (below), chest imaging is not an acceptable substitute for COVID–19 diagnosis because:

a. medical imaging (chest x – ray or CT) is insensitive for early disease, and
b. medical imaging is non – specific for COVID–19 when lower respiratory tract abnormalities are present. 

3. If your patient has:
• fever / high temperature / chills, OR
• flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fatigue, OR
• shortness of breath 
and has either
• been tested for coronavirus infection (nasal swab PCR) with positive result (confirmed case), OR
• returned from overseas, OR
• been in close contact with a confirmed case in the past 14 days but is untested or unconfirmed as being infected (suspect case), and 
• needs to attend a clinic for any test or procedure please phone ahead or advise your patient to do this before presenting at the clinic even if the appointment is urgent. 

RANZCR has established a COVID-19 Taskforce which has produced a position statement regarding the role of clinical radiology in managing COVID-19, which informs stakeholders of this and includes a call to action for governments to ensure that radiology practices can access PPE and continue to operate through the pandemic.  

Please visit https://www.ranzcr.com/our-work/coronavirus for the latest advice related to clinical radiology and radiation oncology and to view the position statement.