How X-Ray Imaging Supports Health Security in Emergency Preparedness

Abstract

Health security concerns the preparedness of nations to handle acute health emergencies. Emergency events include pandemics such as Covid-19, natural disasters such as bushfires, earthquakes and floods, biological threats, chemical threats, and radioactive threats. An emergency event can cause increase of uncertainty, vulnerability and risk in national and international community and the term health security can be applied to individuals, communities and nations where the measures and modes to respond to health services are in place. X-ray imaging generates images of the internal structures of an object from the interaction of high energy electromagnetic waves with the material of the object: This is a powerful tool in health security. For example, X-ray is adopted for the diagnosis in emergency preparedness and for the deployment of rapid screening and detection of diseases in emergency situations.

Health security defines the preparedness and improvement by nations against all kinds of potential health threats (Rusconi et al., 2015). It applies to individuals, communities and nations and reflects the ability to anticipate and respond to health emergencies. Emergencies increase vulnerability and risk in national and international communities and health security provides a mode to assist nations in hospital preparedness and further response. The concept is becoming a fast growing concern worldwide in both economies and politics. The concepts also guide social security, which is a worldwide social aim. A significant real-world example of health security has been revealed by the 2019 Covid-19 pandemic (Meishi Melissa et al., 2021). One of the areas identified to aid the ability of nations to provide health security is the development of reliable diagnostic technologies for the rapid and accurate detection of health problems to complement their advance planning and mitigation strategies.

Emergency preparedness aims to control the spread of a health hazard under emergency conditions where advance planning and modes of mitigation can be implemented to reduce the impact. The core objectives of any emergency preparedness plan are to manage and organize resources, to lessen damage and to accelerate recovery. emergency preparedness may include the following activities: development and maintenance of an emergency response plan; identification of personnel and equipment; mobilization of supplies and other support systems; training; exercises and drills; identification of assessment and evaluation methods; and communication of emergency information. health security can be complemented and enhanced by reliable diagnostic technologies for rapid and accurate detection of health hazards under emergency conditions where advance planning and modes of mitigation can be implemented.

Imaging technologies support the examination of the inner objects under non-destructive conditions and rely on the interaction between waves and matter. A variety of waves can be used and the technologies extensively impact on the healthcare and other industries in terms of operational safety, productivity, quality assurance and diagnostic capabilities. X-ray imaging uses high energy electromagnetic waves. The total number of security personnel required for the Games was 23,700. G4S was unable to deliver the requested numbers, leading to the deployment of 10,700 troops and police officers working overtime on short notice. The costs associated with last-minute recruitment and overtime might have been partly avoided with tools enabling fast assessment for recruiting and training large numbers of security personnel. Security x-ray image interpretation is a key skill for personnel working at large-scale events, airports, courts, and other security checkpoints. It involves identifying potential threats or illicit materials in bags or vehicles, requiring attention to detail and the ability to distinguish harmful items. Developing interventions to improve screening effectiveness is prioritized, including enhanced technology, better training, and assessment tools to match individual potential with job requirements. The X-Ray Object Recognition Test (ORT) was developed to simulate security x-ray screening tasks, highlighting challenges such as unusual object views, superpositions, and complex clutter in images. Alongside professional training, developing tools to assess an individual's predisposition to x-ray image interpretation could significantly improve screening effectiveness. The CXR workflow in the fever tent was accelerated by designated placements of lead shields, a portable Digital Radiography (DR) machine, and a DR X-ray detector, resulting in minimal adjustments during image acquisition and an uninterrupted workflow. This setup increased capacity, allowing up to 109 patients, and improved efficiency by using a wireless portable DR machine to retrieve worklists and send images seamlessly, reducing movement and infection risk. A portable workstation enabled wireless EMR access and pre-X-ray pregnancy declarations, saving time. Radiation safety was ensured through proper shielding, with measurements showing no significant increase in exposure. This approach supported the surge in COVID-19 cases and was comparable to accelerated care units elsewhere, though it offered a more seamless experience for patients. COVID-19 chest radiograph findings are often subtle, especially