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Interventional radiology suite with C-arm and patient table

Imaging suite planner · IR · Cath lab · X-ray · CT

Planning a newimaging space?

Start with the room. Not the catalogue.

Explore the protection, positioning and imaging-support considerations involved in planning a new clinical environment, layer by layer, then build a preliminary project checklist in under a minute.

Four layers of a well-planned imaging room

Every imaging project is really four projects.

The people who work in the room. The procedure at the table. The room around them. And the structure that contains it all. Scroll to see how Rothband’s range fits each layer.

Stylised plan of an interventional radiology suite A plan view showing the procedure room with table and C-arm, a control room behind a viewing window, staff positions, table-side shielding, mobile barriers, apron storage, lead-lined doors and a lead curtain. Lead-lined doorset Viewing window Lead curtain Structural shielding to RPA specification Apron storage Mobile barrier Variable-height screen Table-side shielding Arm support Positioning Monitors Operator Scrub Circulating Control room CONTROL PROCEDURE ROOM

Everyone who stays in the room during exposures is exposed to scatter, repeatedly, with no diagnostic benefit.

01

People

The operator, scrub and circulating staff who stay in the room during fluoroscopy. The patient receives the primary beam; everyone else receives scatter, on every case.

  • Protective garmentsTwo-piece top-and-kilt sets or full aprons in lead, bilayer or lead-free cores. 0.25 / 0.35 / 0.50 mm Pb.
  • Thyroid protectionD-Type and magnetic D-Type collars, commonly specified with the apron in IR and cath labs.
  • Protective eyewearFor staff close to the patient. The UK annual eye-lens dose limit is 20 mSv under IRR17.
02

Procedure

Everything at the table that shapes access, ergonomics and the operator’s scatter exposure over a long case.

  • Table-side shieldingLower body table shields (78 to 162 cm) and multi-use table shields that reduce scatter before it reaches the operator.
  • Adept positioning platformsRadiolucent retrograde and antegrade IR platforms, compatible with most major angiographic tables.
  • Arm supportsSTARBoard radial access support and MR-safe overhead arm support for stable, repeatable positioning.
  • Mattresses & accessoriesTwo- and three-section angio mattresses, drape supports, head immobilisers and prone supports.
03

Room

The moveable protection and housekeeping that lets the team build a dose-reduction environment around each procedure.

  • Mobile barriersFreestanding lead-equivalent screens on castors, including variable-height barriers with a window that moves between 115 and 188 cm.
  • Apron storageMobile and wall-mounted hangers and skirt-and-vest racks. Garments that hang properly last longer and pass inspection.
  • Operator protectionCeiling-track lead curtains and screens positioned to protect staff without impeding workflow.
04

Structure

The shielding built into the fabric of the room. Specified by your Radiation Protection Adviser, designed, manufactured and installed by Rothband, backed by a 10-year guarantee.

  • Lead-lined doorsBespoke doorsets from Code 3 (1.32 mm Pb) to Code 8 (3.55 mm Pb), with shielded frames and ironmongery. Veneer, laminate or PVC finishes.
  • Viewing windowsOptically clear lead glass for control booths, screens and protective barriers.
  • Lead curtainsTrack-mounted flexible shielding in 0.25, 0.35, 0.5 and 1.0 mm Pb, IEC 61331-1 and 61331-3 compliant, finished in wipe-clean Dartex.
  • Retro-fit wall panellingCoded lead wall panels with hygienically rated covering for refurbishments.

Project planner

Build your preliminary project checklist.

Four questions about the project. One checklist organised by personnel, procedure, room and structure, using only what Rothband actually supplies.

Question 1 of 4

What are you planning?

Project type

How many rooms?

Where are you in the project?

Project review

Talk to Rothband about your project.

One UK partner across personal protection, procedure-side equipment, room protection and structural shielding, from first consultation through to installation.

Works with
NHS estates, capital projects, medical physics, procurement, architects and your RPA (or helps you find one)
Procurement
Direct on NHS purchase order, via NHS Supply Chain, and through framework routes
Structural shielding
Designed, manufactured and installed by Rothband, 10-year guarantee

Your planner answers are attached to this request so the first conversation is about your room, not a catalogue.

Thank you. Your project review request has been received.

A Rothband specialist will be in touch to arrange a review. Your project checklist has been attached.

Planning guidance

Interventional radiology suite and imaging room planning: answers for project teams

What equipment does an interventional radiology suite need beyond the imaging system?

Personal protection, procedure-side protection, positioning equipment, room protection and structural shielding. In practice that means protective garments, thyroid collars and eyewear for staff; table-mounted shields and mobile barriers; radiolucent positioning platforms, arm supports and angio mattresses; apron storage; and lead-lined doors, viewing windows and lead curtains specified by the RPA’s shielding assessment.

When should radiation protection be considered in an IR room project?

At the same time as room layout and equipment selection, not after. Door and window positions, ceiling tracks for lead curtains, wall thickness and space for barriers and apron storage are cheap to get right on the drawing and expensive to retrofit. Early involvement of the RPA and the shielding supplier avoids re-work.

How is radiation shielding for an imaging room specified?

By a qualified Radiation Protection Adviser through a shielding assessment. The assessment considers the radiation source and energy, workload, distance, occupancy of adjacent areas and the surrounding construction, then sets a lead equivalence (mm Pb) for each wall, door and window. Required shielding should never be assumed from a previous room.

What is a lead-lined door for an X-ray room?

A bespoke doorset with lead bonded into the leaf, frame and architraves so protection is continuous across the structural opening. Rothband doorsets are available from Code 3 (1.32 mm Pb) to Code 8 (3.55 mm Pb), and up to 20 mm Pb for heavy-duty applications, in veneer, primed, laminate or PVC-encapsulated finishes with optional vision panels.

What radiation protection do cath lab staff use?

A protective garment, thyroid collar and protective glasses, combined with table-side shielding and mobile barriers. Cardiologists and scrub staff who stand close to the patient during long fluoroscopic procedures are the priority for eyewear and thyroid protection. Two-piece garments are often preferred for comfort over long lists.

What positioning equipment is used in interventional radiology?

Radiolucent platforms and arm supports that hold the patient in a stable, repeatable position without image artefact. Rothband’s Adept range includes retrograde and antegrade IR platforms, the STARBoard radial access system and an MR-safe overhead arm support, compatible with most major angiographic tables including Philips, Siemens, GE and Canon.

What should a radiology room refurbishment include?

A fresh shielding assessment, a review of doors and windows, and a chance to fix the things that never worked. Retro-fit lead wall panelling with hygienic covering can bring older walls up to specification without full reconstruction. Refurbishment is also the natural moment to re-specify PPE, storage and barriers for the way the room is actually used today.

Can Rothband supply on an NHS purchase order or framework?

Yes. Rothband supplies NHS trusts directly on purchase order, is available through NHS Supply Chain and can support framework procurement routes. Stock items typically despatch within 1 to 3 working days; project and bespoke items have lead times confirmed at enquiry.

General planning guidance from Rothband (WSR Medical Solutions Ltd). Not a substitute for a shielding assessment or the advice of your Radiation Protection Adviser.