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Last reviewed on June 01, 2026

COVID-19 Medical Imaging Safety

Current public health guidance emphasizes layered prevention strategies to reduce the transmission of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. Recommended precautions include staying up to date with vaccination(s), practicing good hand hygiene, maintaining physical distance when appropriate, improving ventilation, and using masks when respiratory symptoms are present or when recommended by public health authorities.

After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, some patients may develop temporary swelling of lymph nodes, particularly in their underarm area. These enlarged nodes can mimic the appearance of serious conditions on mammography or screening breast ultrasound images. However, there is no need to delay chest x-ray or mammography exams in patients who have no symptoms of serious disease.

For more information about breast and chest imaging, see the Mammography and Chest CT pages.

Is it Safe to Have an Imaging Exam Now?

Radiologists and other health professionals continue to follow infection prevention protocols designed to protect patients and staff. These may include enhanced cleaning procedures, appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and workflow adjustments to reduce exposure risk.

Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about seeking medical care or undergoing medical imaging. In most cases, the benefit of timely medical care and imaging to your overall health far outweighs any possible risks related to respiratory viruses.

Always tell your imaging facility before you arrive if you have respiratory symptoms and if you have been in physical contact with anyone who has COVID-19. Imaging professionals can implement additional precautions when needed to ensure safe care.

Patients are encouraged to discuss any concerns with their referring provider or imaging facility prior to their appointment.

Trusted, recognized sources of credible COVID-19 information may be found at RadiologyInfo.org, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . For more information, visit:

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Please note

RadiologyInfo.org is not a medical facility. Please contact your physician with specific medical questions or for a referral to a radiologist or other physician. To locate a medical imaging or radiation oncology provider in your community, you can search the ACR-accredited facilities database.

This website does not provide cost information. The costs for specific medical imaging tests, treatments and procedures may vary by geographic region. Discuss the fees associated with your prescribed procedure with your doctor, the medical facility staff and/or your insurance provider to get a better understanding of the possible charges you will incur.

Web page review process: This Web page is reviewed regularly by a physician with expertise in the medical area presented and is further reviewed by committees from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the American College of Radiology (ACR), and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), comprising physicians with expertise in several radiologic areas.

Outside links: For the convenience of our users, RadiologyInfo.org provides links to relevant websites. RadiologyInfo.org, RSNA, ACR, and ASRT are not responsible for the content contained on the web pages found at these links.