CT De-Installation and Installation Project Management
What to expect when you're expecting (a CT scanner)
At PrizMED Imaging, we help people eliminate the pain of buying a refurbished CT. That's the bare bones, at-our-core company description. What we actually do, however, is this:
So, you know the what of PrizMED Imaging (FDA-certified, refurbished CT scanners), and this post will take you through the how.
Because understanding CT project management, or what to expect when we're de-installing or re-installing your CT scanner, can help you save a ton of trouble and money.
Steps of a CT Scanner De-Installation
Managing a CT scanner de-installation involves a balancing act of logistical preparation and on-site technical expertise.
Before we even show up to the de-installation site, one of our first tasks is to figure out how we'll navigate that 4,000 lb computed tomography machine through your facility, from the exam room to our truck.
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Step #1: Evaluate the best CT system delivery route
Pretty much all scanners are large and bulky. Therefore, we plan the system delivery route beforehand. We examine the height and width of doorways and hallways. If applicable, we figure out which doorways, windows, and nursing stations we'll need to remove (and re-build afterward). We also figure out what we need in terms of forklifts or, if applicable, a crane.
Re-building a nursing station
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Step #2: Disassembling and moving the CT scanner
We begin the transport by setting mylar paneling throughout the entire delivery route to protect any tile, carpet, or other material. Because safety is a #1 priority, we then disconnect the power to the CT scanner and then lock out the boxes to eliminate any chance of an electrical injury.
In the exam room, we separate the CT couch from the gantry and then lift the system onto dollies or skates for transportation along the mylar delivery route.
Outside of the facility, we use a forklift to lift the gantry onto an Air Ride truck and secure the system. Before leaving, however, we return to the facility to clean and take care of any final requests from the customer. Remember, our process is designed to leave the facility just as we found it (or better!).
CT Scanner Installation Site Planning Checklist
Preparing a site for a CT installation is essential. Check out our infographic below for a quick overview of the CT scanner installation process.
Steps of a CT Scanner Installation
Every little logistic matter is handled before we arrive at your medical center with the CT scanner. We get images and room layouts so that we know about the site and, in some cases, we'll travel to your site for final logistical confirmations. Again, everything's planned.
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Step #1: Laying an epoxy pad in the CT exam room
Calibration is essential to a well-operating CT scanner, and if the floor is even a half-inch from being perfectly level, the resulting CT imaging may be adversely affected. Therefore (better safe than sorry!), we lay an epoxy pad beneath the planned installation spot. Generally, it takes about 24 hours for the epoxy to set.
Laying the epoxy pad
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Step #2: Moving the scanner from "outside" to "inside"
Everything's ready and we've transported the scanner to your facility. Like with the de-installation process, we lay the mylar paneling throughout our system delivery route, removing nurses stations, doorways, or, if needed, windows to get the system safely to the exam room.
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Step #3: Lining up the gantry
A quality CT scanner installation is contingent on the very, very center of the scanner's bore (the hole where the patient goes).
That's the sweet spot and it's where the system is designed for optimal medical imaging performance. After placing the gantry onto the epoxy pad, we line up the gantry and the couch based on this sweet spot and the manufacturer's specifications.
As you can see, there's absolutely no guesswork here.
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Step #4: Installing the power distribution, wiring, and ancillary equipment
Setting up the rest of the room depends, for the most part, on the site's preferences. It's ideal to have the CT scanner's power distribution cabinet somewhere near the gantry — you also want the big and bulky cabinet placed in an ergonomic-centric position, so that it's not in the operator's way or causing undue inconvenience during scans.
We then need to run the power wires from the exam room to the control room. Generally, there are three ways to run the wires, including:
- Using the location's ductwork
- Running wires through the floor
- Or, installing the wires through the ceiling (if the facility has a drop ceiling)
If the site has a raised floor, we can also run the wires there. Again, this is all based upon our initial site planning and the site's preferences.
De-Installation/Re-Installation Your CT Scanner
De-installing or re-installing a CT scanner, when all's said and done, is a process. Of course, we work with different scanners at many different sites; there are always little nuances. The goal, and how we reach that goal, is nonetheless the same: we'll remove or install your scanner with as much, or as little, intervention as you need.
Through comprehensive project management, we aim to make our CT process entirely accommodating to your needs. You can keep your hospital or clinic open and see patients (CT scanning services will need to be temporarily put on hold) during the de-installation or installation.
If you have questions about our de-installation or re-installation process, we at PrizMED Imaging would like to talk with you. To speak with a technician, contact us online or call us today at 440-414-7539
