Framework environmental management plan

2.2 Building requirements
The radiotherapy laboratory for teletherapy and remote controlled brachitherapy devices will be composed of, where appropriate, at least:

a) Treatment room destinated to the radiotherapy device;

b) Command room destinated to the command pannel;

c) Simulator room;

d) Treatment planning room;

e) Source storage, if applicable;

f) Undressing and waiting room for patients;

g) Medical consultation room;

h) Medical personnel room;

i) Cloakroom, toilets for personnel and toilets for patients;

j) Other technical rooms necessary according to the complexity of the device.
In the design phase of the radiotherapy laboratory which uses radiotherapy devices (exposure rooms and the other rooms of the radiotherapy laboratory) the necessary measures for protection optimization and dose limitation must be ensured, with the view of fulfilling the radiologic security requirements.

The design of the laboratory must take into account the classificatin of areas, the type of activity and the radiotherapy devices intended to be used.

In the design of the radiotherapy laboratory security systems associated with the radiotherapy device and the exposure room will be provided, which will include emergency switches - „exposure stopped”, warning systems and security interconditionings (blocking devices).

The radiotherapy laboratory will be mandatory provided with access control system, alarm system, warning system and fire warning system, climatisation system and adequate ventilation.

It is mandatory to display the “ionizing radiation danger symbol” on each access door to the treatament room, simulation room or in the sorce storage, according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recommendation, ISO Publication No. 361. The symbol will be black colored, and the background yellow.
At the design of the radiotherapy laboratory dose constraints will be used no more than:

a) 10 mSv/year at the workplace of the person professionally exposed to radiation.

b) 20 μSv/week ion the areas where the population may have access.

(2) The shields, other than the treatment room walls, will be designed so that the dose output will not exceed 1 μSv/h.

The typical conservative assumptions used in shielding design are:

a) Patient atenuation is usually not taken into consideration.

b) Escape radiatrion is considered maximum possible.

c) Charge, utilization and ocupation factors are usually overestimated.

d) The personnel always stay in in the most exposed places of the adjacent rooms.
The area of the exposure room must comply with the requirements of the manufacturer regarding the minimum surface necessary for instalation and mountingi of the respective radiotherapy device.

The installation of radiotherapy device in rooms smaller than those recommanded by the manufacturer, as well as the limitation of the technical capacityr of the device because of insuficient areas, is not justified.

When the minimum allowed size of the trweatment room area is noit specified in the RSA of the respective radiotherapy device, the minimum area of the treatment room, without chicane, without limiting the technical capacity of the device, must be at least:

a) 16 m² for a teletherapy RX device (with external fascicle) for superficial and contact therapy;

b) 22 m² for a teletherapy RX device (with external fascicle) orthovoltage therapy with electric voltage up to 300 kV

c) 50 m² for a teletherapy gamma device (with external fascicle) with closed radioactive sources, for instance a telecobalt therapy device containing a cobalt – 60 source;

d) 50 m² for medical linear accelerators (linacs)

e) 30 m² for simulators and CT simulators for radiotherapy;

f) 16 m² for brachytherapy (curietherapy) devices with closed radioactive sources.
As a rule, the location of the radiotherapy device will be in the in center of the room.

For existing treatment rooms, where new radiotherapy devices are relocated, also smaller areas than those mentioned above are acceptable, by providing an appropriate justification, by which is demonstated that the protection of the professionally exposed personnel and of patients is ensured and that the device can be used in optimum conditions.