Diagnostic Radiation Physics Services (DRPS) provides board-certified medical physicist consulting to healthcare facilities throughout Richmond and the broader Central Virginia region. Richmond is an independent city and the capital of Virginia, anchoring a metropolitan area that spans seven surrounding counties: Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, and Charles City. DRPS serves imaging centers, hospitals, health systems, and specialty practices across this geography, delivering responsive, on-site physics support without the overhead of a large national firm.
Medical Physics Services in Richmond
DRPS offers a full suite of diagnostic medical physics services to Richmond-area facilities:
- Equipment Performance Evaluations (EPEs): Annual and as-needed testing of radiographic, fluoroscopic, mammographic, and computed tomography equipment to satisfy Virginia Department of Health registration requirements and accreditation standards.
- Shielding Design and Certification: Structural shielding calculations and barrier certification for new construction, renovations, and equipment upgrades in radiology suites, CT rooms, fluoroscopy labs, and nuclear medicine areas.
- Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) Services: Part-time and consulting RSO support, including radioactive materials license compliance, personnel dosimetry oversight, regulatory correspondence with the Virginia Department of Health Office of Radiological Health, and radiation safety committee support.
- Accreditation Support: Documentation, phantom imaging, physicist report preparation, and corrective-action guidance for ACR, IAC, RadSite, and Joint Commission accreditation programs.
- CT Physics Testing and Optimization: ACR CT accreditation testing, dose optimization, protocol review, and scanner acceptance testing.
- PET/CT and Nuclear Medicine Physics: Acceptance testing, annual surveys, dose calibrator constancy and accuracy checks, and radioactive materials compliance support.
- Quality Assurance Programs: Facility-specific QA protocols, staff training, and ongoing performance monitoring across all modalities.
Virginia Radiation Regulations
Radiation-producing equipment and radioactive materials in Virginia are regulated by the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Radiological Health. Facilities operating X-ray machines in Virginia must register those devices with VDH. Radioactive materials are licensed through VDH rather than directly through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Virginia became an NRC Agreement State on March 31, 2009, assuming regulatory authority over most radioactive materials uses within the Commonwealth.
In addition to state requirements, Richmond-area facilities are subject to federal standards where applicable. Mammography facilities must comply with the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA), which requires an annual physics survey by a qualified medical physicist. Facilities pursuing ACR accreditation or Joint Commission certification must meet those organizations' equipment performance and physicist-of-record requirements as well. DRPS maintains current working knowledge of VDH regulations and national standards, ensuring facilities remain compliant across all applicable frameworks.
As Virginia's state capital, Richmond is also home to state agency offices and government-affiliated healthcare and research institutions. DRPS is experienced supporting clients that operate within government procurement and compliance environments alongside standard private-sector healthcare organizations.
Why Richmond Facilities Choose DRPS
Board-certified expertise. DRPS physicists hold certification from the American Board of Radiology (ABR) in diagnostic medical physics. Board certification is a requirement under MQSA and is expected by ACR and most major accreditation bodies. Facilities get qualified, credentialed support—not trainees or uncertified consultants.
Regulatory familiarity in Virginia. DRPS has direct experience working within VDH's regulatory framework, including radioactive materials license applications and amendments, X-ray machine registration, and inspection preparation. When VDH correspondence arrives, DRPS can help facilities understand what is required and respond correctly.
Responsive regional coverage. Richmond's metro area stretches across a broad footprint. DRPS provides on-site service across the core counties and surrounding communities without scheduling delays that can hold up equipment deployments, construction timelines, or accreditation renewals.
Single point of contact across modalities. Facilities with mixed imaging inventories—radiography, CT, fluoroscopy, mammography, nuclear medicine—can rely on DRPS for physics support across all modalities rather than managing multiple vendor relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Virginia require a medical physicist for mammography facilities? Yes. MQSA requires that mammography facilities have a qualified medical physicist conduct an annual survey and review each unit's quality control program. Virginia mammography facilities must comply with MQSA regardless of state-level requirements.
Who regulates radioactive materials in Virginia? Virginia is an NRC Agreement State, so the Virginia Department of Health Office of Radiological Health—not the NRC directly—issues and oversees radioactive materials licenses for most uses within the Commonwealth. DRPS can assist with license applications, amendments, and regulatory interactions with VDH.
Do I need a shielding report when replacing CT or X-ray equipment? Generally yes. When replacing equipment with a unit of different output characteristics, or relocating equipment within a facility, a new shielding evaluation is typically required before the equipment can be placed into clinical service. VDH and accreditation bodies may also require updated shielding documentation.
What counties does DRPS serve in the Greater Richmond area? DRPS serves facilities throughout the Greater Richmond region, including Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, and Charles City counties, as well as the City of Richmond itself and communities in the broader Richmond MSA.
How do I get a quote for physics services in Richmond? Contact DRPS directly to describe your facility type, modalities, and immediate needs. We will provide a scope of services and fee estimate. There is no commitment required to request a quote.