Nuclear Medicine Department Design

Planning Guidelines for Healthcare Facilities

1. Introduction

Nuclear medicine is a specialized medical service that uses radiopharmaceuticals to investigate physiological processes, diagnose diseases, and deliver selected forms of targeted treatment. Unlike conventional anatomical imaging alone, nuclear medicine can reveal how tissues and organs function through the distribution of radioactive tracers in the body. Common imaging technologies include the gamma camera, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and hybrid systems such as SPECT-CT and PET-CT.

AERB – Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

Designing a nuclear medicine department requires more than providing scanner rooms and a waiting area. The architectural layout must coordinate patient care, radioactive-material handling, controlled access, equipment installation, radiation protection, staff workflow, building services, and future maintenance.

For healthcare architects, the central planning challenge is to organize these activities so that patients can navigate the department comfortably while staff can work efficiently and radiation exposure and contamination risks are appropriately controlled.

This guide explains the principal planning decisions, functional areas, room relationships, technical coordination requirements, and regulatory considerations involved in designing a nuclear medicine facility.

2. What is nuclear medicine department design?

Nuclear medicine department design is the architectural and technical planning of a healthcare facility where radiopharmaceuticals are prepared or received, administered to patients, and used for diagnostic imaging or therapeutic procedures. The design coordinates clinical functions, equipment, patient circulation, radiation protection, radioactive waste management, and applicable statutory requirements.

A nuclear medicine department may operate as part of a hospital’s medical imaging service or as a dedicated unit. Its size and configuration depend on the clinical service plan, selected imaging equipment, diagnostic and therapeutic workload, staffing, and whether radiopharmaceutical preparation is performed on-site.

Archi-Monarch

+1

2.1 Principal objectives of planning

A well-planned department should:

• Provide safe and efficient patient assessment, administration, imaging, and recovery.
• Separate public circulation from controlled clinical and radioactive-material handling activities where required.
• Reduce unnecessary movement of radioactive materials and patients through unrelated areas.
• Support staff observation, communication, and emergency response.
• Provide suitable equipment access, structural support, electrical supply, cooling, and maintenance clearance.
• Allow radiation protection to be assessed using actual equipment specifications and surrounding occupancy.
• Support accessible movement for wheelchair users, bed-bound patients, and people requiring assistance.
• Accommodate future equipment replacement or service expansion without compromising safety.

These objectives should be translated into a functional brief before the architectural plan is developed.

3. Types of nuclear medicine facilities

The service model determines which rooms are needed and how the department should be organized.

Facility type	Principal activities	Main architectural implications
Diagnostic nuclear medicine	Functional imaging using radiopharmaceuticals	Imaging rooms, administration facilities, uptake spaces and appropriate patient toilets
SPECT or SPECT-CT unit	Single-photon imaging, with CT in hybrid systems	Equipment-specific scanner room, control facilities and structural/MEP coordination
PET or PET-CT unit	Positron-emission imaging and, where included, CT	Tracer administration, uptake, scanning and carefully planned movement of injected patients
Radiopharmacy or hot laboratory	Receipt, preparation where authorized, dispensing and quality-control activities	Controlled access, work surfaces, storage, monitoring and appropriate ventilation or shielding
Radionuclide therapy facility	Administration of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals	Additional treatment, observation, contamination-control and waste-management provisions according to the service
High-dose therapy facility with inpatient care	Selected radionuclide treatments requiring admission	Specialized patient accommodation and associated safety provisions under applicable regulations

Not every facility requires every category. A small diagnostic department receiving ready-prepared patient doses may have a substantially different layout from a center with an on-site radiopharmacy or inpatient radionuclide therapy.

Architectural principle: define the clinical services first, then prepare the room schedule. Do not design a generic nuclear medicine floor plan and attempt to fit all services into it afterward.

4. Functional zones of a nuclear medicine department

A useful starting point is to organize the department into functional zones. These are planning categories, not universal regulatory classifications; the final controlled areas and boundaries must be established by the radiation-safety team.

4.1 Public and reception zone

This zone manages the arrival and registration of patients and visitors.

Typical spaces include:

• Reception and registration counter.
• General waiting area.
• Consultation or assessment room, where required.
• Accessible patient toilet.
• Administrative work area.

The entrance should be easy to identify from the hospital’s public circulation network. Clear signage and a direct route to reception help prevent patients from entering staff-only or controlled areas.

Waiting arrangements should account for the fact that some patients may have received radiopharmaceuticals while others have not. The department’s operating protocol should determine where different patient groups wait and how visitors are managed.

4.2 Patient preparation and administration zone

This zone supports patient assessment and administration of the prescribed radiopharmaceutical.

Depending on the service, it may contain:

• Patient preparation or changing space.
• Injection or administration room.
• Clinical handwashing facilities.
• A patient observation area.
• Secure access to the hot laboratory or dispensing point.

The administration room should have an efficient connection to the radiopharmaceutical handling area without creating an uncontrolled public route. Its layout must also support patient privacy, safe staff working positions, emergency access, and the handling procedures defined by the clinical team.

4.3 Uptake and post-administration waiting zone

Following administration, some radiopharmaceutical procedures require a period during which the tracer distributes through the body before imaging. The duration varies with the radiopharmaceutical and clinical protocol.

The uptake zone may include individual rooms, separated bays, or other arrangements suitable for the planned service.

Important planning considerations include:

• A direct, controlled route to the scanner rooms.
• Seating or reclining facilities appropriate to patient needs.
• Access to suitable patient toilets without requiring travel through general public waiting areas.
• Privacy and acoustic comfort.
• Clear staff observation and communication.
• Provisions for patients who require wheelchairs, stretchers, or clinical monitoring.

Where clinically and operationally appropriate, separating waiting arrangements for injected and non-injected patients can improve both workflow and radiation protection.

4.4 Imaging zone

The imaging zone contains the scanners and the supporting spaces needed to operate them.

Typical rooms include:

• Gamma camera room.
• SPECT or SPECT-CT room.
• PET or PET-CT room.
• Equipment control room or control area.
• Equipment-related technical space, where required.
• Imaging reporting and interpretation room.

The number and type of rooms depend on the clinical service plan. Equipment selection should occur early enough for the architect and engineering team to coordinate room geometry, equipment movement, structural loads, power, cooling, and shielding.

4.5 Hot laboratory and radiopharmacy zone

A hot laboratory is used for the controlled handling, preparation or dispensing, and temporary storage of radioactive materials, according to the facility’s authorization and operating model.

A more extensive radiopharmacy may provide additional preparation, compounding and quality-control functions. These functions should not be assumed to exist in every nuclear medicine unit.

The layout should consider:

• Controlled staff access.
• A logical relationship with the administration area.
• Appropriate work surfaces and storage.
• Safe receipt and internal movement of radiopharmaceuticals.
• Radiation monitoring and contamination-control procedures.
• Secure temporary storage and handling of radioactive waste.
• Required shielding and ventilation determined by specialist assessment.

A hot laboratory is a technical working environment, not simply a conventional hospital laboratory with lead lining. Its layout must be developed with the nuclear medicine team, medical physicist and radiation-safety personnel.

4.6 Staff, reporting and support zone

Typical supporting spaces include:

• Staff workstation or nursing station.
• Reporting and interpretation room.
• Consultant or consultation room.
• Staff changing and rest facilities.
• Clean utility and storage.
• Dirty utility, where required.
• Equipment and consumable stores.
• IT and technical support facilities.

Staff circulation should allow routine movement between the imaging rooms, administration area, reporting facilities and support spaces without unnecessary passage through public waiting areas.

4.7 Therapy and specialized patient-care zone

Facilities providing radionuclide therapy may need additional spaces for treatment, observation, recovery or inpatient care, depending on the treatment and applicable requirements.

The need for an isolation room, dedicated toilet, controlled patient accommodation or specialized effluent arrangements must be assessed against the intended therapy protocols and the applicable AERB requirements. These provisions should not be copied indiscriminately from one facility to another.

5. Planning the functional relationship diagram

The functional relationship diagram should be prepared before fixing the room-by-room floor plan. It shows which functions need direct connections, which should be near each other, and which movements should be controlled or minimized.

Illustrative adjacency concept — not an approved nuclear medicine layout.

Public entrance and reception

Registration · General waiting · Consultation

Patient preparation and administration

Clinical assessment · Radiopharmaceutical administration

Uptake / post-administration waiting

Controlled patient route · Appropriate toilet access

Imaging zone

PET-CT · SPECT-CT · Gamma camera, as provided

Clinical completion

Post-scan instructions · Discharge or further care

Hot lab / radiopharmacy

Controlled staff route to administration

Staff and reporting

Workstations and technical support

The diagram shows a possible diagnostic workflow. It is not a mandatory linear sequence for every procedure, and the radiopharmacy is not necessarily located beside every scanner. The detailed arrangement should reflect clinical protocols, staff working methods, equipment configuration and radiation-safety assessment.

5.1 Key adjacency decisions

Functional relationship	Planning objective
Reception to consultation	Easy access for arriving patients
Administration to hot laboratory	Efficient, controlled handling of prescribed doses
Uptake area to imaging	Reduce unnecessary patient movement
Imaging to control facilities	Support scanner operation and staff communication
Imaging to reporting	Provide convenient access to images and interpretation systems
Patient area to toilet	Provide suitable access without unnecessary circulation through unrelated spaces
Hot laboratory to radioactive waste holding	Support controlled waste handling and transfer
Department to emergency and critical care	Enable clinical support when required
Equipment delivery route to scanner	Permit installation and future replacement

5.2 Avoiding circulation conflicts

A nuclear medicine unit should not become a shortcut between unrelated departments. The layout should identify and control the movement of:

1. General outpatients and visitors.
2. Patients who have received radiopharmaceuticals.
3. Inpatients arriving on beds or stretchers.
4. Clinical staff and authorized technical personnel.
5. Incoming radiopharmaceuticals.
6. Radioactive waste and other clinical waste streams.

These flows do not always require entirely separate corridors. Their separation should be determined by the clinical risk assessment, operating protocol and regulatory requirements. Where paths intersect, the design should make the interaction manageable and safe.

6. Site selection and location within the hospital

Location affects radiation protection, equipment installation, circulation, building services and future expansion.

The existing site and layout should be evaluated in relation to:

• Adjacent rooms and their occupancy.
• Floors above and below the department.
• Public corridors, waiting spaces and staff work areas.
• Structural capacity and equipment installation routes.
• Access for delivery and replacement of major equipment.
• Availability of electrical, cooling, ventilation and IT infrastructure.
• Emergency access and connections to related clinical services.
• Provision for additional equipment or future expansion.

The AERB provides dedicated guidance on nuclear medicine facility site and layout drawings. Its guidance calls for surrounding occupancies to be identified clearly, relevant floor and sectional information to be provided, and radiation-safety review to take place before construction under the applicable approval process.

mgw3.aerb.gov.in

A ground-floor location may simplify equipment delivery in some projects, but it is not a universal requirement. The final location should be selected through a site-specific assessment of radiation protection, building structure, access and clinical workflow.

7. PET-CT and SPECT-CT room design

Hybrid imaging combines functional imaging with anatomical imaging, but PET-CT and SPECT-CT systems differ in equipment configuration and clinical use. They should not be treated as interchangeable room layouts.

7.1 PET-CT room

A PET-CT suite commonly requires a scanner room and associated patient preparation, uptake, administration and control functions.

Architectural considerations include:

• Room dimensions based on the selected equipment and manufacturer’s installation drawings.
• Clearance around the scanner for patient access, maintenance and safe operation.
• A suitable route for bed or stretcher access where the service requires it.
• Structural assessment of equipment and shielding loads.
• Shielding design based on the source, workload and surrounding occupancy.
• Temperature and humidity conditions specified by the equipment manufacturer.
• Power quality, grounding, data connectivity and backup-power strategy.
• Coordination of medical gases, patient monitoring and emergency access where clinically required.
• An installation route that accommodates the largest equipment components.

7.2 SPECT-CT and gamma camera rooms

SPECT and SPECT-CT planning must accommodate the movement envelope of the detector heads, patient table, gantry, control interfaces and associated equipment.

The design team should confirm:

• Equipment dimensions and required operating clearances.
• Patient transfer and positioning arrangements.
• Structural load distribution and vibration considerations where specified.
• Required radiation protection.
• Electrical and data services.
• Cooling and environmental requirements.
• Access for maintenance and component replacement.

7.3 Equipment planning checklist

Design component	Information to obtain before freezing the plan
Scanner	Manufacturer, model and installation drawings
Room geometry	Equipment envelope, movement clearances and service access
Structure	Equipment loads, shielding loads and support requirements
Radiation protection	Source characteristics, workload, occupancy and shielding calculations
HVAC	Heat rejection, temperature, humidity and ventilation requirements
Electrical	Connected load, dedicated circuits, grounding and backup-power requirements
Data	Network points, workstation locations and imaging-system connectivity
Medical services	Required gases, suction, monitoring and emergency call provisions
Installation	Delivery dimensions, lifting strategy and replacement route

Important: no universal room size or shielding thickness should be specified solely from the name of the scanner. The selected equipment and approved radiation-protection assessment govern the final design.

8. Hot laboratory and radiopharmacy planning

The hot laboratory is one of the most technically sensitive parts of a nuclear medicine department because it involves the controlled handling of radioactive materials.

8.1 Layout and work sequence

The layout should allow authorized staff to receive, verify, store, prepare or dispense materials as applicable, and transfer prescribed doses to the administration area using approved procedures.

A practical planning sequence is:

• Establish the authorized scope of the facility.
• Identify whether doses arrive ready-prepared or are prepared on-site.
• Define the required storage, workstations and quality-control functions.
• Determine the locations of monitoring and safety equipment.
• Coordinate work surfaces, utilities, ventilation and shielding.
• Establish the route for radioactive waste and the associated storage provisions.
• Review the layout with the medical physicist, radiation-safety personnel and clinical team.

8.2 Finishes and fixtures

Surfaces in areas where contamination may occur should be selected to support the facility’s cleaning and decontamination procedures. Joints, penetrations, service fittings and work surfaces should be detailed to avoid difficult-to-clean gaps.

The AERB safety code addresses the safe handling of unsealed radioactive materials and the design of active areas. Its requirements should be checked against the current applicable regulatory documents rather than replaced with a generic finishes specification.

aerb.gov.in

+1

8.3 Ventilation and safety provisions

Ventilation, pressure relationships, exhaust arrangements, containment devices and monitoring provisions depend on the activities undertaken and the applicable safety assessment.

The architect should not independently prescribe a universal negative pressure value or exhaust configuration. Instead, the mechanical engineer and radiation-safety specialists should establish the appropriate system, including discharge arrangements and any restrictions on recirculation, in accordance with the authorized process and relevant technical requirements.

9. Radiation protection and shielding

Radiation protection is a core design input, not a finishing-stage addition.

The AERB identifies nuclear medicine procedures as involving unsealed radioactive materials that can create both radiation-exposure and contamination risks. Its nuclear medicine guidance references the applicable safety code and regulatory consent process.

AERB – Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

9.1 Factors affecting shielding

The shielding assessment may depend on:

• The radionuclides and their radiation characteristics.
• The quantity or activity of material handled.
• Patient throughput and expected workload.
• The type and operating characteristics of the imaging equipment.
• The time spent by patients and staff in relevant areas.
• The occupancy of adjacent rooms, corridors, floors and neighboring properties.
• The geometry and materials of the building construction.
• The specific diagnostic or therapeutic procedures performed.

These variables should be assessed by qualified radiation-protection specialists using the applicable methodology.

9.2 Shielding coordination with architecture and structure

The architectural drawings should identify the proposed room arrangement, wall and floor construction, openings, doors, windows, penetrations and surrounding occupancy.

The structural drawings should coordinate any additional loads resulting from shielding materials and equipment.

Particular attention is needed at:

• Door frames and wall junctions.
• Service penetrations.
• Ductwork and cable routes.
• Floor slabs and ceilings.
• Windows and glazed partitions.
• Changes in wall thickness and construction materials.

A shielding design must account for the actual geometry and material properties. Simply labelling a wall as “radiation-proof” is not an adequate construction specification.

9.3 Radiation zoning and access control

The radiation-safety team should define controlled areas, warning signs, access restrictions and monitoring provisions in accordance with the facility’s operating procedures and applicable requirements.

The architectural team should translate these requirements into clear room boundaries, doors, circulation arrangements, signage locations and staff-only access points.

10. Radioactive waste management

Radioactive waste arrangements must be designed around the type of material generated, its activity, applicable waste-management rules and the authorized operating procedures.

The planning team should distinguish radioactive waste from general clinical waste and other hazardous waste streams.

Depending on the facility, the design may require:

• Secure temporary radioactive-waste storage.
• Controlled access and appropriate radiation protection.
• Clear segregation and identification of waste categories.
• Space for monitoring and safe handling.
• A suitable transfer route.
• Dedicated plumbing or delay-tank arrangements where required for the authorized therapy service.

The AERB’s facility layout guidance specifically addresses plumbing and delay tanks for high-dose therapy facilities. These provisions should not automatically be assumed necessary for every diagnostic nuclear medicine department.

mgw3.aerb.gov.in

Waste storage capacity and holding arrangements should be developed with the authorized waste-management procedures and relevant regulatory requirements. A generic storage duration should not be inserted into the architectural specification without verification.

11. Structural and MEP coordination

Nuclear medicine planning requires early coordination between architecture, structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, medical equipment suppliers and radiation-protection specialists.

11.1 Structural considerations

The structural engineer should assess:

• Scanner and associated equipment loads.
• Additional loads from shielding materials.
• Load distribution and local support requirements.
• Openings and penetrations required for services.
• Equipment movement and installation requirements.
• Future replacement or upgrading of major equipment.

The architect should provide coordinated equipment layouts and reserve the necessary access and service zones. Structural supports for ceiling-mounted components should follow the manufacturer’s requirements and the approved engineering design.

11.2 Electrical and information technology

The electrical and IT design should account for:

• Dedicated power supplies as required.
• Manufacturer-specified power quality and grounding.
• UPS or backup-power provisions where required.
• Equipment isolation and maintenance.
• Patient monitoring and emergency call systems.
• Data points, image transfer and reporting workstations.
• Coordination of cable trays and service penetrations with shielding.

The backup-power strategy should be based on the equipment’s technical requirements and the hospital’s operational risk assessment.

11.3 HVAC and mechanical services

The HVAC design should address equipment heat loads, room temperature, humidity, ventilation and any process-specific exhaust requirements.

The engineering team should coordinate:

• Scanner and equipment-room cooling.
• Manufacturer-required environmental limits.
• Hot-laboratory ventilation and exhaust.
• Air distribution and maintenance access.
• Service routes that avoid conflicts with equipment and shielding.
• Monitoring and alarm provisions where required.

11.4 Plumbing and medical services

Plumbing and medical services should be coordinated with the room data sheets and the clinical brief.

The design team should establish the location of handwashing facilities, patient toilets, medical gas outlets, suction, emergency call points and other required services.

Where radioactive effluent management is necessary, the system should be designed around the authorized therapy and waste-management process. Avoid routing services through critical equipment zones without a coordinated technical review.

12. Accessibility, patient experience and infection prevention

Radiation safety should not result in an unnecessarily difficult patient journey.

Nuclear medicine patients may be elderly, anxious, mobility-impaired or undergoing complex diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. The architectural design should provide a legible route from arrival to departure and minimize avoidable transfers between waiting, administration and imaging areas.

Recommended considerations include:

• Step-free routes and accessible doors.
• Space for wheelchairs and stretchers.
• Privacy during consultation and administration.
• Clear wayfinding and understandable signage.
• Appropriate seating and patient support.
• Acoustic comfort and adjustable lighting where suitable.
• Easy-to-clean finishes in relevant clinical areas.
• Convenient staff access for assistance and emergency response.

The exact accessibility dimensions and clinical requirements must be taken from the applicable building regulations, accessibility standards and project brief.

13. Indicative schedule of accommodation

The following is a functional checklist, not a fixed area schedule or a substitute for an approved room data sheet. Room numbers and dimensions must be established for the selected service level and equipment.

Space	Purpose	Key planning dependency
Reception	Registration and patient information	Patient volume and entrance location
General waiting	Pre-procedure waiting	Patient throughput and service model
Consultation / assessment	Clinical review	Scope of clinical services
Administration room	Radiopharmaceutical administration	Clinical protocol and handling procedures
Uptake area	Waiting between administration and imaging	Procedure mix and patient volume
Patient toilet	Patient convenience and clinical needs	Applicable clinical and radiation-safety assessment
Gamma camera room	Conventional nuclear medicine imaging	Selected equipment
SPECT-CT room	Hybrid imaging	Equipment geometry and installation requirements
PET-CT room	Positron-emission imaging	Equipment selection and clinical workflow
Control area	Scanner operation	Equipment and staffing model
Hot laboratory	Controlled radiopharmaceutical handling	Authorized activities and preparation model
Radiopharmacy	Preparation and quality control, if provided	Facility scope and authorization
Radioactive waste storage	Temporary holding and handling	Waste stream and operating procedure
Reporting room	Image interpretation	Number of scanners and reporting staff
Staff station	Clinical coordination	Staffing and observation needs
Clean and dirty utility	Clinical support	Infection-control and operational brief
Equipment store	Storage of mobile and technical equipment	Equipment inventory
Therapy accommodation	Treatment or inpatient care, if provided	Authorized therapy service and regulations

How to establish room sizes

Prepare room data sheets for every required space, recording:

• Functional purpose and expected occupancy.
• Required equipment and its dimensions.
• Staff working clearances and patient transfer needs.
• Door sizes and equipment delivery requirements.
• Structural loads and shielding implications.
• Electrical, HVAC, plumbing, IT and medical services.
• Storage, cleaning and maintenance requirements.
• Accessibility and emergency access.
• Applicable regulatory references and approval status.

This process produces a more defensible schedule than assigning identical or arbitrary dimensions to rooms with different functions.

14. India-specific regulatory and approval considerations

For projects in India, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is a primary source for nuclear medicine facility requirements.

AERB guidance directs institutions to the applicable nuclear medicine safety code and the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004, and identifies its eLORA system as the route for obtaining relevant regulatory consent.

AERB – Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

Its site and layout guidance states that the proposed layout is to be submitted for approval before construction under the applicable process. AERB’s radiation-safety approval does not replace other statutory approvals required from the relevant government or municipal authorities.

mgw3.aerb.gov.in

Recommended design and approval sequence

1. Prepare the clinical brief. Confirm diagnostic procedures, therapy services, equipment, workload and staffing.
2. Consult the clinical and technical team. Include nuclear medicine personnel, the medical physicist, radiation-safety specialists, equipment suppliers and architects.
3. Develop the site and functional layouts. Identify all relevant rooms and surrounding occupancy.
4. Prepare coordinated drawings. Include the plans, relevant adjacent-floor information and sections required by the applicable submission guidance.
5. Obtain radiation-protection review. Determine shielding, controlled areas, material specifications and other required provisions.
6. Submit the layout for the applicable AERB approval. Follow the current eLORA process and requirements.
7. Obtain other statutory permissions. Coordinate municipal, building, fire and other approvals as applicable.
8. Construct in accordance with approved documents. Refer proposed changes affecting the approved design to the relevant specialists and authorities.
9. Complete installation and commissioning. Verify equipment, safety systems and required operational authorizations before clinical use.

Because regulations and submission procedures can change, verify the current official documents and approval requirements at the time of the project. Do not rely solely on an older article or a reproduced checklist.

15. Sustainability and long-term adaptability

Sustainability in nuclear medicine should be approached through lifecycle performance rather than superficial material selection.

Useful strategies include:

• Efficient equipment planning that avoids oversized or duplicated spaces.
• Energy-conscious HVAC design consistent with clinical and equipment requirements.
• Lighting controls appropriate to each room’s use.
• Maintainable service routes and accessible plant.
• Durable, cleanable finishes suited to the clinical environment.
• Flexible technical infrastructure where future equipment replacement is anticipated.
• Early coordination that reduces construction rework.
• Efficient storage and circulation that limit unnecessary movement.

Natural light may improve staff and patient experience in suitable spaces, but openings and glazing must be evaluated for radiation protection and privacy. Daylight should never be introduced without checking its compatibility with the approved shielding design.

16. Common mistakes in nuclear medicine department planning

Mistake	Why it matters	Recommended response
Designing before equipment selection	Room geometry and service requirements may change	Obtain equipment data early
Using generic shielding thicknesses	Actual protection depends on source, workload and occupancy	Commission a site-specific shielding assessment
Mixing all waiting functions	Patients and visitors have different operational needs	Define patient groups and waiting protocols
Neglecting toilet access	Patients may need facilities during uptake or treatment	Coordinate clinical needs with safety assessment
Treating the hot lab as a standard laboratory	Radioactive-material handling introduces specific requirements	Develop the room with authorized specialists
Ignoring equipment replacement	Future installation may require major demolition	Plan delivery and maintenance routes
Routing uncoordinated services above equipment	Leaks and service conflicts can affect critical equipment	Coordinate structure, HVAC and plumbing early
Omitting adjacent occupancy from drawings	Radiation assessment depends on surrounding spaces	Show relevant rooms, corridors, floors and external areas
Copying a schedule from another hospital	Service levels and regulations may differ	Prepare project-specific room data sheets
Treating AERB approval as the only approval	Other statutory permissions may still be necessary	Maintain a coordinated approvals register

17. Advantages of a well-planned department

A coordinated design can provide several practical benefits:

• More direct patient and staff circulation.
• Better control of access to relevant clinical areas.
• Improved integration of equipment and building services.
• Reduced risk of expensive late-stage alterations.
• More effective use of available floor area.
• Easier maintenance and equipment replacement.
• A clearer basis for regulatory review and commissioning.
• Better patient privacy, accessibility and overall experience.

These benefits depend on appropriate operational planning, competent technical design and successful implementation; they should not be treated as guaranteed outcomes of layout alone.

18. Conclusion

Nuclear medicine department design is a multidisciplinary healthcare planning exercise in which clinical workflow, equipment geometry, radiation protection, material handling and building services must be coordinated from the earliest design stage.

For architects, the most important decisions are defining the scope of services, arranging functional relationships, controlling circulation, planning for equipment installation and maintenance, and coordinating radiation protection with structural and MEP design.

In India, the applicable AERB requirements and approval process must be integrated into the project programme rather than addressed only after the architectural layout has been completed. A project-specific room schedule, functional relationship diagram and coordinated technical drawings provide a stronger foundation for a safe, efficient and adaptable facility.