Department Of Veterans Affairs
VA Handbook 7610 (275)
Washington, D.C. 20402
June 2006
E. Verify room sizes and equipment layouts with imaging equipment vendors prior to
finalizing room layouts.
F. The MRI suite should be functionally organized to separate staff and patient
circulation as much as possible. Diagnostic rooms, processing functions, staff
workstations, and staff support space should be organized contiguous to a
centralized hub element for staff circulation. Patient waiting and public areas should
be organized in conjunction with a patient circulation element, which provides
separate access to diagnostic rooms and dressing rooms.
G. Corridors should be designed to a minimum of 8 feet clear width, to accommodate
passage of equipment or beds and two stretchers and/or wheelchairs. In non-patient
areas, corridors may be 6 feet in clear width.
H. Locate all film file spaces to facilitate alternative use upon total implementation of
PACS.
I.
MRI Scanning Room(s), Control Room(s) and System Component Room(s) should
have an emergency power supply to complete in-process procedures and permit safe
egress of patients.
J. Locate MRI units in an area with minimal potential electrical interference, even though
most MRI units today are self-shielded.
K. A critical point in the quality of the images obtained from the MRI system is to
maintain a constant, homogeneous magnetic field in the center of the magnet. This
requirement for a homogeneous magnetic field could impose limitations on the
location, construction and surroundings of the MRI suite. The homogeneity of the
magnetic field can be distorted when large stationary ferromagnetic material (i.e.,
steel frames, ferrous ductwork, etc.) are present in the vicinity of the MRI suite. Also,
large moving ferrous masses of magnetic material like carts, elevators, stretchers,
etc. can produce magnetic field fluctuations. The degree of distortion caused by
these ferromagnetic material depends on the magnetic field strength as well as on the
mass, orientation, permeability and saturation of the surrounding material.
L. Refer to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Facilities Management
Handbooks, Standards, Standard Details, and Design Guides for technical criteria.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Chapter 275): Page 11 of 14
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