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MRI Site Planning: Managing Space, Shielding, and Safety

smart hospitals
MRI installation is more than just shifting a new device to your healthcare institute. This imaging modality is complex and impacts its surroundings, so you must focus on preparing the site and ensuring compliance. Without proper care and key considerations in mind, you risk patient safety, environmental damage, and costly repairs. Planning involves preparing your healthcare site, checking the power systems,  and planning for long-term safety. You also need to ensure smooth integration with the existing healthcare environment to avoid incompatibility issues during use. If you are unsure of the checklist to follow, this blog guides you through the site planning steps for the MRI machine.

Key MRI Site Requirements

The MRI room you choose in the hospital/clinic is not just about the four-wall enclosure. You must ensure that the walls, ceiling, and floor do not obstruct the device performance. Here are the key things to keep in mind:

  1. Magnetic Shielding and Zoning

    2. MRI scanners use powerful magnetic fields to generate an image but can pose a risk for the patients due to the presence of nearby metal objects. It is important to shield the room to protect both the patient and the equipment nearby. The MRI room should not be close to a parking garage or lift for added safety. Additionally, you must label the MRI room from Zone I to IV, as per the industry standards, so everyone follows the safety protocols accordingly.

  2. Structural Load and Space Planning

    3. The floor should be designed in a way that it can withstand the massive weight of an MRI machine. You will need sufficient space for the scanner, prep supplies, and equipment clearances. As per the general guidelines, an MRI room should vary between 550 and 600 sq. ft. according to the machine’s magnetic strength. During the radiology installation, check for the pathways and elevators so there’s no interruption, as some scanners arrive as a single unit and need substantial space.

  3. Power and Cooling Systems

You must take care of the power supply, HVAC, and cooling system to settle on the MRI room. MRI devices consume substantial energy, so ensure that your hospital/clinic has a stable, high-voltage power supply. This complex imaging modality device generates significant heat through its magnets, coils, and electronic components. Thus, it requires a controlled temperature for safe and continuous performance. Safety tip: Keep a check on the grounding for patient safety and image quality consistency.

Safety and Compliance Measures

Your MRI installation site is ready, but you must account for the following safety and compliance factors before bringing in the machine:

  1. RF Shielding

    2. Outside radio signals from computers, monitors, and other devices can interfere with the image quality and hamper patient diagnosis. Building an MRI infrastructure requires radiofrequency (RF) shielding around the room to separate this radiation noise from the images. This RF shielding covers the walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows so there is no disturbance. It enables you to retrieve clear, high-quality diagnostic images.

  2. Access Control and Signage

    3. Not everyone is allowed in the MRI room, as any interaction with items with strong magnetic powers can interfere with the scanner’s performance. Ensure that you maintain this accessibility control for authorised clinicians only. Any signs related to unauthorised access or industry-labelled safety zones should be clearly visible on the door so outsiders are always aware.

  3. Emergency Quench Planning

Future is unpredictable, and it is important to be prepared. There should be a quench button available in the MRI room that can be used in case of an emergency. The plan also involves paying out ground rules to follow in such situations to eliminate the magnetic field and protect the team on time. The emergency quench should be the responsibility of an authorised person, as it can severely damage the radiology equipment and result in heavy repair costs. 

Integration with Hospital Workflow

After preparing the MRI room, your focus should be on the hospital management. Here are the key things to consider:

  1. Patient Preparation Areas

    2. Ensure that the changing room, prep/post-op room, and restroom are within easily accessible reach of the patients. It is the hospital’s responsibility to see that no one waiting for the MRI scan has to struggle between corridors for assistance.

  2. PACS and Reporting Integration

    3. Readiness also involves integrating the radiology equipment with PACS vendors for cloud-based solutions. It helps manage the workflow, schedule the imaging process, and generate the reports for quick diagnosis. Immediate access to the reports leads to timely diagnosis, real-time sharing, and cost efficiency. It also helps minimise manual efforts and makes the treatment process easier for the concerned doctors.

  3. Future Upgrade Considerations

Your site should not only be ready for the current MRI system but also have room for future upgrades as well. Machines continuously improve, and technology becomes more sophisticated every day. It is imperative that the infrastructure design can accommodate these updates, changing clinical requirements, and operational efficiencies. Prepare your team for the radiology installation by:
  • Assigning a coordinator for the entire team.
  • Planning in advance for downtime.
  • Updating scheduling teams regarding service interruptions.
  • Coordinating with vendors for shorter turnaround times.

Conclusion

An MRI system is a substantial investment, so you want to ensure that it delivers long-term and sustainable results. Without proper planning and careful MRI installation, you cannot run the service independently. Therefore, it is important that you follow the right steps to minimise risks. It helps improve operational efficiency, deliver better patient outcomes, and be ready for the future. Once your site is ready, choose the most reliable and efficient MRI scanner that delivers accurate image results. You can explore the high-quality medical devices at Ultravision Medical, a trusted dealer in Dubai and the UAE. They offer authentic MRI scanners from known brands to hospitals and clinics at the best rates.

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