The Department of Defense (DoD) and The Joint Commission require that medical, dental, and industrial x-ray imaging be done in areas where a qualified expert has determined and documented that there is enough radiation shielding to protect employees, patients, and the public.
A qualified expert is certified by the American Board of Health Physics, the American Board of Radiology, or the American Board of Medical Physics. They must also have knowledge of—
- The radiation physics associated with the specific devices to be operated within the facility;
- The operating characteristics of the devices;
- The facility-specific operational practices that will be used;
- The operating history (including known problems) of similar devices; and
- Applicable regulations and national standards.
DCPH-A provides radiation shielding design services to the DoD by employing qualified experts who meet these requirements. Contacting DCPH-A early in the process of designing new x-ray imaging facilities can help you save time and money in getting the facility into compliance.
Based on your facility description and its intended use, DCPH-A will provide you a report describing what steps, if any, need to be taken to ensure the safe and regulatory compliant operation of your x-ray imaging facility.
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How to Request Services
To request services,
visit the Contact Us webpage, select “Mission Services Request" from the dropdown, and then complete and submit the form. For the Subject field, select “Health Physics." You can also call DCPH-A Health Physics directly at 410-436-3502.
What Information Will DCPH-A Need?
Download the X-Ray Shielding Design Services Checklist to help you gather the information we'll need. Once you've
requested our services, a Health Physics Division point of contact will assist you through the completion and submittal of the checklist.
- The manufacturer and model of the x-ray imaging equipment being used and the type of x-ray imaging facility (e.g., radiographic, fluoroscopic, angiography, dedicated chest installation, mammographic, computed tomographic, mobile radiography, mobile O-arm and fluoroscopy system, dental x-ray facilities, veterinary, industrial x- ray facilities, and so forth). Provide all information from the manufacturer, including product brochures, user's manuals, pictures of labels on the device, and field reports.
- A floor plan of the area that includes, at a minimum:
- Complete dimensions
- The location and orientation of the x-ray equipment in the room where it will be used
- The locations of—
- The control room, doors, and chest bucky (if applicable) in the room;
- The patient or object being imaged; and
- All immediately adjacent rooms and hallways.
- Height of the room and height of the space below the x-ray room
- What the adjacent rooms and the rooms above and below the imaging room are used for (e.g., exam rooms, clerical offices, rest rooms, and so forth). If a space is restricted to x-ray personnel, that should be noted.
- The composition (gypsum wall board, concrete, lead, and so forth) and thickness of any wall, ceiling, or floor with a potentially occupied space (including outdoor areas) on the other side. Include composition of any doors and windows in the room with the x-ray device.
- The number of patients/objects expected to be imaged each week and the number of x-ray shots for each patient. If an x-ray device performs multiple functions or orientations (e.g., chest bucky shots and table shots), include the number of shots for each orientation. If the x-ray device is industrial and does not involve patients, state the amount of time per week that the device is on and a description of what is being x-rayed.
