Abstract:Medical ultrasound technology is widely used for diagnosis and therapy in clinical practice. Ultrasound probes, which are directly contact with patients, pose a potential risk of pathogen transmission. This expert consensus was developed by a multidisciplinary team based on international guidelines, standards in China, and the results of a national survey, aiming to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infection through standardizing reprocessing of medical ultrasound probes, and formulating consensus recommendations with the Delphi method. The consensus clarifies the reprocessing principles for three types of ultrasound probes of different infection risks: external-use ultrasound probes, interventional percutaneous ultrasound probes, and internal-use ultrasound probes, puts forward systematic suggestions on the reprocessing standards and disinfection levels of ultrasound probe isolation covers and coupling agents, the reprocessing procedures and methods of ultrasound probes, as well as architectural layout and management of reprocessing, so as to provide a scientific prevention and control framework for ensuring ultrasound diagnosis and therapy safety.