Infection Control · single question
What is the correct procedure for reprocessing a digital radiographic sensor after use on a patient with HIV?
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Correct answer: C. Single barrier sheath plus disinfectant wipe-discard-wipe
- A. Immersion damages sensor cabling and seals and is not an approved method.
- B. Alcohol alone is not an intermediate-level disinfectant and no barrier means direct contamination.
- C. Correct. Sensors cannot be heat-sterilized. The FDA/CDC standard is a barrier during use, then removal of the barrier and an intermediate-level disinfectant wipe-discard-wipe sequence. HIV status changes nothing — standard precautions apply to every patient.
- D. Heat sterilization destroys the sensor's electronics and is never used.
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