How to Build an X-Ray Room: Layout, Shielding, and More

Designing and building an X-ray room is a critical process, requiring careful planning and attention to detail to ensure compliance, safety, and efficiency. If you own a medical practice in Melbourne and are considering an X-ray room fitout, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from key design considerations to safety regulations.

X-ray rooms are essential in healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and dental offices, but their complex requirements mean they’re not as straightforward as a typical fitout. From shielding against radiation to designing optimal layouts, let’s explore the fundamentals of creating an X-ray room that’s safe, functional, and ready for operation.

Before you can even begin installing X-ray equipment, there are a couple of important prerequisites to consider:

1. Licensing and Approval: In Victoria, you must obtain a relevant licence from the Department of Health before installing an X-ray machine. Without this licence, you cannot legally install and operate the equipment.

2. Shielding Plan: An approved shielding plan is also essential. A licensed radiation consultant creates this plan and details the required safety measures to ensure radiation doesn’t escape the room. It is important to have this plan approved before any work begins. This plan will be required when registering with the Victorian Department of Health.

X-Ray Room Layout and Design

An efficient X-ray room layout is an elegant combination of unobtrusive workflow and patient safety. Here are some key considerations when planning your X-ray room:

Positioning the X-Ray Screen

The X-ray screen must be strategically placed to protect the radiographer while operating the equipment. This screen prevents unnecessary radiation exposure to staff while still allowing them to interact with the patient.

Optimised Workflow

A well-designed X-ray room should include proper space for both patients and staff. Consider adding patient changing rooms nearby and ensure that the radiography system is set up for quick and efficient use.

Door Placement and Accessibility

The doors leading into the radiation room should also be accessible, meeting the diverse needs of any patient who walks into your practice. In this setup 1.5 leaf doors are ideal. These doors can accommodate walking patients and they also can be easily reconfigured to open a half-length wider. This additional space will allow your team to accommodate patients in trolleys or wheelchairs.

Additionally, a separate staff entrance may further enhance efficiency, providing a clear route for radiographers and nurses to access the room in between radiology sessions. 

Adequate Power Supply

X-ray machines and their associated equipment require significant power. Plan for dedicated electrical circuits and consider backup power options to ensure uninterrupted operation. Not sure how to tackle this one? A fitout expert with deep experience in the medical and radiology industry will be best placed to help. We’ve encountered this issue across many medical fitouts and know exactly what needs to be done to ensure power runs smoothly in the x-ray room as well as your entire medical fitout.

Not all X-ray rooms are the same. Depending on your facility’s needs, you may be designing a room for one of the following uses:

• General Radiology (X-Ray) Rooms: These are the most common types of X-ray rooms used for general imaging.
• Fluoroscopy Rooms: Used for real-time imaging, often during medical procedures.
• CT Scanner Rooms: Designed to house complex computerised tomography equipment.
• Emergency Rooms (E.R.) and Operating Rooms (O.R.): These setups are usually more flexible and versatile than a standard X-ray room, since physicians may treat all types of patients on any given day.
• Dental and Chiropractic X-Ray Rooms: These require more compact layouts but still need careful consideration for safety and equipment placement.

Each type of X-ray room comes with its specific requirements, but radiation shielding and safety are non-negotiable for all of them.

One of the most critical aspects of designing an X-ray room is radiation shielding. Without proper shielding, harmful radiation could escape into public areas, putting both staff and visitors at risk. A proper shielding plan should help address any potential issues before the build starts, but you’ll want to consider the following as well:

Walls and Ceilings

The walls of an X-ray room usually require lead or barium plaster to prevent radiation from leaking through. In some cases, concrete floors and ceilings can provide sufficient protection, but it depends on the energy of the X-ray beams and the layout of the building. In this situation, leaning towards having more than necessary protection may be ideal in helping your build get passed by the DHS.

Custom Shielding Calculations

Every X-ray room must undergo shielding calculations based on factors like the intensity and direction of the radiation, the frequency of use, and the materials used in the construction. A licensed physicist or radiation consultant typically performs these calculations to ensure maximum safety. As part of the Canopy Fitouts process, we can help you find these licensed experts and will work with them through the build to ensure everything is built with safety in mind.

Keep in mind that shielding design calculations are necessary for both new construction and fitout construction within an existing building, even if that building served a medical purpose previously. 

Safe Distances

The layout should account for the distance between the X-ray machine and areas occupied by staff or the public, such as waiting rooms. This ensures that radiation exposure is kept well below safe limits, especially in high-traffic areas.

Once the room is built and the X-ray equipment is installed, the next step is compliance testing. This is a crucial stage that ensures the room is safe for both patients and staff. Compliance testing involves:

• Shielding Verification: Confirming that the installed radiation shielding is adequate and that no radiation escapes the room.
• Operator Safety: Ensuring there’s a designated, shielded area where the operator can safely conduct X-rays without exposure.
• Checking Doors and Windows: Verifying that all entry points, including doors, windows, and frames, are shielded to prevent radiation leaks.

Building the Perfect X-Ray Room With Canopy Fitouts

Creating a safe and functional X-ray room requires careful planning, specialised knowledge, and adherence to strict regulations. From obtaining licences and ensuring proper shielding to optimising the room’s layout, every detail plays a role in the room’s safety and efficiency.

Whether you’re building a new healthcare facility or upgrading your current X-ray room, finding the right fitout partner isn’t a luxury, it’s a requirement. You need a team with a breadth of experience in the medical industry, who can combine design, safety requirements, and patient comfort to create a custom build for your business.

At Canopy Fitouts, we specialise in healthcare and commercial fitouts, with a deep understanding of the technical and safety requirements for X-ray rooms. Let us help you create a space that’s not only compliant but also designed to meet the highest standards of functionality and safety. Speak to our team today, give us a call at 1800 434 868, or email info@canopyfitouts.com.au to get started.