title: Defective plastic infection-control barriers and faulty technique may cause PSP plate contamination used in digital intraoral radiography.
abstract: METHODS
  Fifty-two disinfected photostimulable phosphor (PSP) plates in plastic barrier envelopes were evaluated for contamination following placement in 30 study participants. Forty-four plates were acceptable for use in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The risk factor was the abundant oropharyngeal microbial flora and its ability to breach infection-control barrier sheaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of bacterial colonies on an agar plate was used to determine bacterial contamination and the presence of any growth indicated failure of the barrier envelope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before clinical placement of the plates, quality review of the PSP plates revealed defects in the integrity of 4 barrier envelopes most likely caused by forceps-related damage or failure to achieve a uniform seal during manufacturing. These defects allowed substantial contamination. Contamination also occurred as a result of failure to extract the PSP plate from the barrier envelope cleanly. Of the 44 barriers with no obvious signs of a defect, 3 produced bacterial growth following culture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors concluded that digital sensor sheathed in barrier envelopes remain a potential source of contamination. PSP plates must be disinfected between removal from a contaminated barrier envelope (used in a patient) and placement in a new barrier envelope. In addition, placement into the barrier envelope should ideally be carried out under aseptic conditions. Finally, the integrity of each sealed barrier envelope must be verified visually.
authors.affiliation: Oral Diagnosis Clinic and Emergency Care Clinic, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 240 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. arthurk@dental.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Arthur S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kuperstein