Radiation shielding review and approval should be obtained from the Radiation Safety Section for many types of x-ray installations, including:

• Medical radiographic, fluoroscopic, CT, therapeutic
• Chiropractic
• Podiatric
• Veterinary
• Dental cephalometric or tomographic x-ray installations
• Dental and non-dental teaching and training facilities
• Certain industrial-type radiographic or fluoroscopic installations

Shielding re-approval should also normally be obtained when x-ray equipment is replaced, major x-ray room renovations are made, or other significant changes occur that could materially affect the shielding or room design required to meet current radiation safety standards.

There is no fee for submitting plans to the Radiation Safety Section to obtain radiation shielding review and approval.

The form BHS/HFS-852; Information Required for a Radiation Shielding Plan Review can be used as a guideline for the information needed to be submitted for this review. Please submit the information requested by this form, and a shielding review will be performed promptly.

The degree of protection required for an x-ray enclosure is normally determined by the workload, by use, occupancy, movement and distance factors, and by radiation dose limits used for design purposes. Shielding shall be subject to design approval by the Radiation Safety Section.

Note regarding NCRP Report 147: This new shielding report is dated November 19, 2004.  We have made a number of updates to the shielding guidance on this website as a result of Report 147.  However, since the report is so new, review of the report by regulatory agencies, such as the Radiation Safety Section, and others will likely continue for a while.  In the meantime, if further clarification, addition, revision, or expansion of any shielding guidance items on this website would be helpful in light of Report 147, please let us know.

Recommended General Shielding Guidelines:

Click on the type of room described below for guideline information about optimum shielding to assist in preparing plans to submit for official approval:

Radiographic or radiographic-fluoroscopic general purpose x-ray room

Mammography room

Computed tomography room

Linear accelerator vault

Pain management mobile c-arm fluoroscopic room

Facilities with the recommended shielding as specified in the guideline table below will normally be able to maintain radiation doses to persons in uncontrolled areas and doses in controlled areas within acceptable limits and comply with shielding design recommendations of the department.

More or less shielding may be required in any specific case depending upon many variable factors. Therefore, please be sure to submit plans to the Radiation Safety Section for an official shielding review. Large or busy x-ray facilities, such as hospitals and radiology offices, may also want to enlist the services of a qualified medical physicist.

Radiographic or Radiographic-Fluoroscopic Shielding Guidelines:

updated May 13, 2005

The above concrete thicknesses are based on the use of standard-density concrete with a density of 147 pounds per cubic foot.

Additional shielding design guidance