CT Site Planning & Installation Guide
Skipping CT site planning costs far more — in time, money, and scope creep — than doing it right the first time. Room configuration, radiation shielding, gantry cooling, climate control, and power supply all need to be designed and approved well before delivery day.
1. Site Layout & Room Design
A CT installation involves three connected spaces: the scan room (gantry and table), the control room (operator console), and an equipment alcove for the power-distribution and cooling components. Ground-floor placement is the default — structural capacity is easiest to verify at grade, the lead shielding mass is simpler to support, and delivery avoids rigging up stairs or through elevators.
| Space | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Scan Room — Minimum | 18' x 20' (~360 sq ft) |
| Scan Room — Typical | 20' x 24' to 24' x 32' |
| Ceiling Height | 8'-0″ clear min; 9'-0″ preferred |
| Control Room | 10' x 12' minimum |
| Equipment Alcove | 6' x 8' minimum, adjacent |
| Total Suite (new build) | 600–650 sq ft incl. ancillary |
2. Radiation Shielding
Shielding is the single most consequential element of a CT site plan, and every plan must be calculated and stamped by a qualified medical physicist based on workload, kVp, and adjacent occupancy. The guidance below is typical practice — the physicist’s signed report is what you build to.
| Element | Typical Lead Thickness |
|---|---|
| Walls | 1/16″ min; 0.5″–1.0″ for high-workload rooms |
| Doors | 0.25″–0.5″ lead equivalent |
| Ceiling | 1/16″ min when occupied space above |
| Operator Barrier | 0.25″–0.5″ with leaded viewing window |
| Concrete Equivalent | 4–6″ standard concrete ≈ 1/16″ lead |
Wall shielding extends continuously from floor to at least 7 ft above finished floor, lapped at all seams. All planning operates under ALARA — the occupational dose limit is 50 mSv/year and the public limit 1 mSv/year, and good design keeps both well within those margins.
3. Gantry Cooling
A CT X-ray tube dissipates 7–10 kW during scanning. Water-cooled gantries route a closed chilled-water loop out of the room for tighter temperature control and quieter operation, at the cost of more involved installation and maintenance. Air-cooled gantries dump heat into the room — faster and cheaper to install, but the room HVAC must be sized for that thermal load.
| Scenario | Typical Choice |
|---|---|
| High-volume facility | Water-cooled (better thermal stability) |
| Existing building chilled water | Water-cooled connection (most cost-efficient) |
| Outpatient / lower workload | Air-cooled often adequate |
| Limited mechanical access | Air-cooled (avoids chiller logistics) |
4. Climate Control & HVAC
CT scanners are designed to run continuously, so the HVAC serving the suite must run 24/7 — not on the building schedule that powers down after hours. The scan room should be re-zoned with its own thermostat if building zoning ties it to areas with variable load.
| Parameter | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Scan Room Temperature | 64°F – 75°F |
| Control & Equipment Areas | 59°F – 75°F |
| Relative Humidity | 30% – 70%, non-condensing |
| Stability | ±2°F over 24 hours |
| Filtration | MERV 13 or better |
5. Electrical Requirements
CT scanners draw substantial power with sharp current spikes during exposure. All work must comply with the NEC and Article 517 and be performed by a qualified contractor.
| Item | Typical Requirement |
|---|---|
| Main Service | 208V or 480V three-phase, dedicated |
| Continuous Load | 20–50 kVA by slice count and cooling |
| Peak Scanning Load | Up to 100 kVA |
| Emergency Power Off | Required button in the scan room |
| UPS | Recommended for host computer and archive |
6. Plumbing & Other Utilities
- Chilled water (water-cooled systems): 5–15 GPM, 45–50°F supply, 30–60 PSI, controlled water chemistry.
- Medical gases (oxygen, vacuum) at the patient table for contrast and emergency studies.
- Floor drain near the gantry for spill and contrast handling.
- Fiber-optic data connectivity to PACS and RIS.
7. Rigging & Delivery
A modern multi-slice CT gantry weighs 4,000–6,500 lb plus a 400–600 lb table. Unlike MRI, CT rigging is straightforward — no magnet, no cryostat — and experienced medical-equipment movers can usually handle it. Confirm whether rigging is included in your purchase agreement.
| Access Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Clear width | 8'-0″ minimum along the path |
| Clear ceiling | 9'-0″ minimum |
| Doors | 4'-0″ preferred, 3'-6″ absolute minimum |
| Elevators | Accommodate 6'-0″ depth and full gantry weight |
8. Patient Safety & Workflow
Permanent radiation warning signage and pregnancy-notification signage are required at suite and scan-room entries and inspected during commissioning. Operator safety is supported by a shielded console with leaded window, lead aprons and thyroid shields within reach, dosimetry badges, and adequate operator-to-gantry distance. A well-designed suite supports smooth patient flow from reception through changing, scan, and recovery.
9. Project Timeline
A refurbished CT installation typically runs 4 to 8 weeks — significantly shorter than MRI because there is no superconducting magnet, RF shield test, or cryogen logistics: site survey, physicist report, and permits (wk 1–2), construction and lead shielding (wk 3–5), scanner delivery and calibration (wk 5–7), physicist commissioning and training (wk 6–8), first patient scan (wk 7–8+).
Ready to plan your CT project?
Our project management team will walk your site, identify the considerations specific to your space, and build a realistic timeline and budget around your facility.