(a) General.
- (1) Equipment and space shall be as required by the functional program.
(2)
- (A) A certified physicist or other qualified expert shall specify the type, location, and amount of radiation protection to be installed in accordance with the final approved department layout and equipment selections.
- (B) Where protected alcoves with view windows are required, a minimum of one foot six inches (1’ 6”) between the view window and the outside partition edge shall be provided.
- (C) Radiation protection requirements shall be incorporated into the specifications and the building plans.
(3)
- (A) The State Radiation Control Agency and the Division of Emergency Management shall be notified when any existing and/or new equipment has been relocated or introduced into the facility.
- (B) State Radiation Control Agency approval for the equipment and space or spaces shall be obtained prior to use.
(b) Angiography.
- (1) Space shall be provided as required by the functional program.
(2)
- (A) A control room shall be provided as necessary to meet the needs of the functional program.
- (B) A view window in the control room shall be provided to permit full view of the patient.
- (3) A viewing area shall be provided.
- (4) A scrub sink located outside the staff entry to the procedure room shall be provided for use by staff.
- (5) A patient holding area shall be provided.
- (6) Storage for portable equipment and supplies shall be provided.
- (7) Provisions shall be made within the facility for extended postprocedure observation of outpatients.
(c) Computerized tomography (CT) scanning.
(1)
- (A) A control room shall be provided that is designed to accommodate the computer and other controls for the equipment.
- (B) A view window shall be provided to permit full view of the patient.
- (C) The angle between the control and equipment centroid shall permit the control operator to see the patient's head.
- (2) The control room shall be located to allow convenient film processing.
- (3) A patient toilet room shall be convenient to the procedure room, and if directly accessible to the scan room, arranged so that a patient may leave the toilet without having to reenter the scan room.
(d) Diagnostic X-ray, e.g., tomography, radiography/fluoroscopy rooms, mammography.
- (1) Radiology rooms shall be of a size to accommodate the functional program.
- (2) Each X-ray room shall include a shielded control alcove.
(3) This area shall be provided with a view window designed to provide full view of the examination table and the patient at all times, including full view of the patient when the:
- (A) Table is in the tilt position; or
- (B) Chest X-ray is being utilized.
(4) For mammography machines with built-in shielding for the operator, the alcove may be omitted when approved by the:
- (A) Certified physicist; or
- (B) State radiation protection agency.
(e) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- (1) Space shall be provided as required by the functional program.
- (2) A control room shall be provided with full view of the MRI.
- (3) A computer room shall be provided.
- (4) A patient holding area should be located near the MRI unit.
- (5) Cryogen venting shall comply with manufacturer's recommendations.
(f) Ultrasound.
- (1) Space shall be provided as required by the functional program.
- (2) A patient toilet room, accessible from the procedure room, shall be provided.
(g) Support spaces. The following spaces are common to the imaging department and are minimum requirements unless stated otherwise:
(1)
- (A) Patient waiting area.
- (B) The area shall have a seating capacity in accordance with the functional program;
- (2) Control desk and reception area;
(3)
- (A) Holding area.
- (B) A convenient holding area under staff control shall be provided to accommodate patients on stretchers or beds;
(4)
- (A) Patient toilet rooms.
- (B) Toilet rooms shall be:
(i) Provided convenient to the waiting rooms; and
(ii) Equipped with an emergency call system.
- (C) Separate toilets with handwashing stations shall be provided with direct access from each radiography/fluoroscopy room so that a patient may leave the toilet without having to reenter the radiography/fluoroscopy room.
- (D) Rooms used only occasionally for fluoroscopy procedures may utilize nearby patient toilets if they are located for immediate access;
(5)
- (A) Patient dressing rooms.
- (B) Dressing rooms shall be provided convenient to the waiting areas and X-ray rooms.
(C) Each room shall include:
- (i) A seat or bench;
- (ii) A mirror; and
- (iii) Provisions for hanging patients' clothing;
(6)
- (A) Staff facilities.
- (B) Toilets may be outside the suite but shall be convenient for staff use.
- (C) In larger suites of three (3) or more procedure rooms, toilets internal to the suite shall be provided;
(7)
- (A) Image storage.
- (B) Provisions shall be provided by the facility for the active and inactive image storage.
- (C) A room with cabinet or shelves for filing patient images for immediate retrieval shall be provided.
- (D) A room or area for inactive image storage shall be provided.
(E) It may be outside the imaging suite, but shall be:
- (i) Under imaging's administrative control; and
- (ii) Properly secured to protect films against loss or damage;
(8)
- (A) Storage for unexposed image.
(B) Storage facilities for unexposed images shall:
- (i) Include protection of film against exposure or damage; and
- (ii) Shall not be warmer than the air of adjacent occupied spaces;
- (9) Provisions for image viewing, individual consultation, clerical spaces, and charting shall be provided;
(10)
- (A) Contrast media preparation.
- (B) This area shall be provided with sink, counter, and storage to allow for mixing of contrast media.
- (C) One (1) preparation area, if conveniently located, may serve any number of rooms.
- (D) When prepared media is used, this area may be omitted, but storage shall be provided for the media;
(11)
- (A) Image processing room.
- (B) A darkroom shall be provided for image processing unless the processing equipment normally used does not require a darkroom for loading and transfer.
- (C) When daylight processing is used, the darkroom may be minimal for emergency and special uses.
(D) Image processing shall be located convenient to the:
- (i) Procedure rooms; and
- (ii) Quality control area;
(12)
- (A) Quality control area.
- (B) An area shall be provided near the processor for viewing film immediately after it is processed.
- (C) All view boxes shall be illuminated to provide light of the same color value and intensity for appropriate comparison of several adjacent images;
(13)
- (A) Cleanup facilities.
(B) Provisions for cleanup shall:
- (i) Be located within the suite for convenient access and use; and
- (ii) Include service sink or floor receptacle as well as storage space for equipment and supplies.
- (C) If automatic film processors are used, a receptacle of adequate size with hot and cold water for cleaning the processor racks shall be provided;
(14)
- (A) Handwashing stations.
- (B) Handwashing stations shall be provided within each procedure room unless the room is used only for routine screening such as chest X-rays where the patient is not physically handled by the staff.
- (C) Handwashing stations shall be provided convenient to the MRI room but need not be within the room;
(15)
- (A) Clean storage.
- (B) Provisions shall be made for the storage of clean supplies and linens.
- (C) If conveniently located, storage may be shared with another department;
(16)
- (A) Soiled holding.
- (B) Provisions shall be made for soiled holding.
- (C) Separate provisions for contaminated handling and holding shall be made.
- (D) Handwashing stations shall be provided; and
- (17) Provision shall be made for locked storage of medications and drugs.
(h) Cardiac catheterization lab.
- (1) Note. The number of procedure rooms and the size of the prep, holding, and recovery areas shall be based on expected utilization.
(2)
- (A) The cardiac catheterization lab is normally a separate suite, but may be within the imaging suite when the appropriate sterile environment is provided.
- (B) It may be combined with angiography in low usage situations.
- (3) The procedure room shall be a minimum of four hundred square feet (400 sq. ft.) exclusive of fixed and movable cabinets and shelves.
(4)
- (A) A control room or area for the efficient functioning of the X-ray and image recording equipment.
- (B) A view window permitting full view of the patient from the control console shall be provided.
- (5) An equipment room or enclosure large enough to contain X-ray transformers, power modules, and associated electronics and electrical gear shall be provided.
(6) Scrub facilities with hands-free operable controls shall be:
- (A) Provided adjacent to the entrance of procedure rooms; and
(B) Arranged to minimize incidental splatter on nearby:
- (i) Personnel;
- (ii) Medical equipment; or
- (iii) Supplies.
(7) The following shall be available for use by the cardiac catheterization suite:
- (A) A viewing room; and
- (B) A film file room.
(8) Staff change area or areas shall be provided and arranged to ensure a traffic pattern so that personnel entering from outside the suite can:
- (A) Enter;
- (B) Change their clothing; and
- (C) Move directly into the cardiac catheterization suite.
- (9) A patient preparation, holding, and recovery area or room shall be provided and arranged to provide visual observation before and after the procedure.
(10)
- (A) A clean workroom or clean supply room shall be provided.
- (B) If the room is used for preparing patient care items, it shall contain a work counter and handwashing sink.
- (C) If the room is used only for storage and holding of clean and sterile supply materials, the work counter and handwashing stations may be omitted.
(11)
- (A) A soiled workroom shall be provided that shall contain a handwashing and a clinical sink or equivalent flushing-rim fixtures.
- (B) When the room is used for temporary holding of soiled materials, the clinical sink may be omitted.
- (12) A housekeeping closet containing a floor receptor or service sink and provisions for storage of supplies and housekeeping equipment shall be provided.