Radiation Shielding Design — NCRP 147 & AAPM TG-108 Calculations and Post-Installation Surveys
Radiation shielding design by board-certified medical physicists. Per-barrier calculations per NCRP 147 & AAPM TG-108, plan review, post-installation adequacy surveys, and signed certification letters.
What's included
Per-Barrier Shielding Calculations
Board-certified shielding calculations for walls, floors, ceilings, and doors per NCRP 147 & AAPM TG-108
Multi-Modality Coverage
CT, PET/CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, diagnostic X-ray, fluoroscopy, and mammography
Post-Installation Verification
Post-installation shielding adequacy surveys and radiation protection surveys before clinical operations begin
Signed Certification Letters
Board-certified physicist certification letters required for regulatory submissions and building permits
Embedded Project Coordination
Direct coordination with architects, engineers, and contractors from plans to first scan
Why it matters
- Regulatory compliance assurance
- Optimized, cost-effective shielding designs
- Signed certification from board-certified physicists
- Protection of staff, patients, and the public
Designed for
What is radiation shielding design?
Radiation shielding design calculates the thickness and composition of shielding materials — typically lead, concrete, or specialized composites — needed to keep radiation doses in occupied areas below regulatory limits. Proper shielding protects staff, patients, and the public while supporting efficient facility operations.
DRPS provides board-certified shielding design services for new construction, renovations, and equipment upgrades — with per-barrier calculations, plan review, post-installation surveys, and the signed certification letters regulators require.
What we deliver
Per-barrier shielding calculations
Detailed barrier-by-barrier calculations for walls, floors, ceilings, and doors — accounting for equipment specifications, workload, room layout, occupancy factors, and applicable regulatory dose limits per NCRP Report 147 and AAPM TG-108.
Architectural plan review
We review architectural drawings to verify shielding is correctly specified and flag issues before they become field change orders. Direct coordination with architects, engineers, and general contractors is standard.
Material specifications
Lead sheet thickness, concrete density and composition, and door/window shielding specifications — selected for regulatory adequacy and construction cost efficiency.
Post-installation shielding adequacy survey
On-site radiation measurements after construction to verify installed shielding meets regulatory limits in all occupied areas adjacent to the imaging room.
Post-installation radiation protection survey
Comprehensive radiation protection survey documenting that the completed space is safe for clinical use — required before regulatory clearance to operate in most states.
Certification letters
Signed certification from a board-certified medical physicist, required for state radiation-control program submissions and building permit close-out.
Modalities we shield
- CT — primary beam, scatter, and leakage for conventional and cone-beam CT
- PET/CT — combined 511 keV gamma (from radiopharmaceuticals) and CT X-ray shielding per AAPM TG-108
- MRI — RF shielding coordination, magnetic fringe-field mapping, and quench-vent review
- Nuclear medicine — hot labs, injection rooms, imaging suites, and radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) suites
- Diagnostic X-ray — primary beam, scatter, and room-layout factors per NCRP 147
- Fluoroscopy — extended exposure-time and scatter-pattern considerations
- Mammography — low-energy X-ray shielding
Regulatory framework
Designs comply with NCRP Report 147 and AAPM TG-108, NRC 10 CFR Part 20, and state radiation-control program filing requirements for FL, MD, VA, DC, CA, NV, PA, NY, NJ, and DE. We coordinate directly with state programs on regulatory submissions.
Service area
DRPS serves facilities across Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.
FAQ
How long does shielding design take?
Per-barrier calculations typically take 1–2 weeks from receipt of complete inputs. Plan reviews often turn around within a few business days. Post-installation surveys are scheduled around construction completion.
What do you need from us to start?
Equipment specifications (make, model, maximum kVp, workload estimates), room layouts showing all adjacent areas with occupancy designations, and architectural drawings indicating wall, floor, and ceiling construction.
Can you work directly with our architect and contractor?
Yes — direct coordination with architects, structural engineers, and GCs throughout design and construction is standard practice.
What if the post-installation survey identifies a deficiency?
We recommend targeted remediation. In most cases, supplemental shielding can be installed without major rework, and we re-survey after remediation.
Can you assess an existing room?
Yes — we evaluate existing shielding and design modifications for new equipment or changes in room use.
Related services
- CT Physics Testing — CT equipment performance evaluations for rooms we've designed
- PET/CT and Nuclear Medicine Physics — EPEs for PET/CT and nuclear medicine facilities
- Radiation Safety Officer Services — RSO services for nuclear medicine and PET/CT programs
- Medical Physicist Consulting — full-scope imaging physics and radiation safety consulting
- Contact DRPS — request a shielding design consultation
Ready to get started?
Talk to a board-certified medical physicist about your facility's needs.