Veterinary Imaging Rooms: Covers, Contrast Trays and Cleanup

Quick Summary: A veterinary imaging room turns over between species, sizes and temperaments, and each patient leaves behind hair, fluid and sometimes contrast medium. This workflow covers the covers, trays and cleanup supplies that keep the room moving without cross-contaminating patients.

A radiography suite in a busy small animal practice may image twelve patients between nine and noon. Some are cats in carriers, some are anxious large dogs, and at least one will urinate on the table. The room has to be reset in under two minutes between each of them.

Step One: Clear and cover the table

Start by removing the previous cover and inspecting the table surface for contrast residue or fluid. Then lay a fresh cover cut to the length of the patient.

• Medium to large dogs: cut from a 21-inch exam table paper roll and layer two lengths for absorbency
• Small patients and cats: a pre-perforated 18-inch perforated sheet is faster and produces less waste
• Wet or incontinent patients: add an absorbent pad under the paper so the table stays dry

Step Two: Set the contrast tray

Contrast studies need a tray prepared before the patient is positioned, because once the animal is on the table nobody leaves the room. Sterile syringes, alcohol prep pads and gauze for the injection site all belong on that tray.

Wipe the tray with a disinfectant wipes and surface cleaners before and after use, and allow the label contact time. Contrast medium that dries on a surface is difficult to remove later and can interfere with subsequent imaging.

Step Three: Handle and position

Gloves are changed between patients rather than between tasks. A 4 mil standard nitrile glove gives enough sensitivity for positioning a limb while still protecting against fluid contact.

Hair is the practical problem in this step. Loose coat sheds onto the cassette and the table, so keep a lint roller at the table and use it between patients. Staff who skip that step find hair artefacts on the next set of images and repeat the study.

Step Four: Reset the room

Reset in reverse order: discard the cover into the general waste stream if it is dry, wipe the table, clean the machine handles, then restock the table paper roll so the next patient arrives to a prepared room.

Wet covers and anything saturated with contrast or body fluid belong in red leak-proof biohazard bags. Keeping that bag beside the table rather than across the room is what makes segregation happen in practice.

Cleaning frequency and what the guidance says

High-touch surfaces in imaging areas are cleaned at least daily and between patients where contamination is likely. The reprocessing guidance published by Public Health Ontario sets out cleaning expectations for equipment and surfaces in clinical settings, and the same frequency logic applies in a veterinary suite.

For staff handling patients, the routine practices published by PHAC set glove expectations that apply equally in veterinary imaging. Table covers are single use. Reprocessing a paper cover is not a cost saving; it is a contamination route from one patient to the next.

Consumable levels worth tracking

Three numbers predict almost every stock-out in an imaging room: covers per study, gloves per patient and wipes per room reset. Track them for a month and the reorder points write themselves. Imaging rooms that stock only one width of table paper invariably waste half a roll on small patients.

Clinics monitoring every sterilizer load can start with the CliniEco biological indicator 5-pack trial: five 24-hour indicators for CA $12.99 with shipping included.

Related Reading

• Infection control acronyms explained for Canadian facilities
• Exam table paper for veterinary exam rooms: width and strength
• Clinic supplies collection
• free Ontario sterilization compliance log

Frequently Asked Questions

How many table covers does one imaging study use?

One main cover, plus a second layer for large or incontinent patients. Contrast studies often need a fresh cover after repositioning, so plan on 1.5 covers per study.

Can the same table paper be used for two patients?

No. Table covering is single use and is replaced between every patient. Reuse is the most common contamination route in a busy imaging room.

What width of table paper suits a veterinary imaging table?

Twenty-one inch rolls suit medium and large dogs, while 18-inch perforated sheets are quicker for cats and small patients. Stocking both widths reduces waste more than choosing either one alone.

CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).