Insights — The Heartland Physics journal

Practical guidance.

Plain-language resources on shielding design, plan review, construction, and compliance — written for facility owners, architects, and contractors.

82 articles

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Shielding design & practice

01Shielding DesignImaging Facility First Steps — Shielding DesignsPlanning to install an X-ray, CT, mammography, or fluoroscopy machine? Start with a solid shielding design — before construction, not after.

02Shielding DesignAbout Heartland PhysicsHeartland Physics is a physicist-led consulting practice focused on radiation shielding design for diagnostic imaging equipment that uses X-rays.

03CT & CBCTCT and Cone-Beam CT Shielding Design GuideCT and cone-beam CT rooms should be designed from the exact scanner, geometry, workload, technique, scatter characteristics, and adjacent occupancy. CT and CBCT are not interchangeable room labels.

04CT & CBCTCT Room Shielding Design: Key Differences vs. General X-ray (and What Regulators Look For)Learn how CT shielding calculations differ from general X-ray, what drives barrier requirements, and what facilities should prepare for state plan review.

05DentalDental CBCT Shielding Design: How to Plan a Compliant Cone Beam CT Room in a Dental OfficePlan a dental CBCT or X-ray room with physicist-prepared shielding calculations. Learn what affects barriers, layouts, occupancy, and state plan review.

06DentalDental X-Ray and Dental CBCT Shielding Design GuideIntraoral, panoramic, cephalometric, and dental CBCT systems have different geometries, beam directions, workloads, and operator arrangements. A dental shielding design should start with the exact…

07FluoroscopyFluoroscopy and C-Arm Shielding Design GuideFluoroscopy and C-arm use can create variable scatter conditions. The shielding design should reflect the actual procedure mix, equipment configuration, workload, beam orientations, staff locations,…

08FluoroscopyFluoroscopy Shielding Design: Designing for Higher Scatter and Longer Beam-On TimeLearn how workload, scatter, beam-on time, room use, and adjacent occupancy affect fluoroscopy shielding calculations and state plan review.

09Radiation SafetyPractical Radiation Safety Decisions: Beyond ALARAradiation, shielding, ALARA,…

10Shielding DesignX-Ray Shielding Requirements & Design: A Practical Guide for State Plan ReviewUnderstand X-ray shielding requirements, when a shielding design is needed, what calculations include, and how state plan review works for new or remodeled rooms.

11FluoroscopyOccupational Radiation Exposure With FluoroscopyFluoroscopy can create meaningful occupational radiation exposure because staff often work close to the patient while the X-ray beam is on.

12HospitalsRadiation Shielding Coordination for Hospitals and Health SystemsHospital shielding projects involve more stakeholders, more adjacent occupancy, and more opportunities for late changes than a single-room outpatient project. A repeatable governance process helps…

13Radiation SafetyUnderstanding Radiation Exposure RisksRadiation risk depends on the dose, the type of exposure, and who is exposed. The useful approach is simple: understand the exposure, control what can reasonably be controlled, and avoid unnecessary…

14Shielding DesignThe Importance of Shielding Designs in Medical FacilitiesA shielding design turns the room layout, X-ray equipment, workload, and surrounding occupancy into specific barrier requirements. Do it before construction so the project team knows what actually…

15For VendorsWhat X-Ray Equipment Vendors Should Send for Shielding DesignEquipment vendors can shorten the shielding-design timeline by delivering a complete, final technical package early. A brochure or generic room layout is rarely enough for project-specific…

16For ContractorsEssential X-ray Equipment Installation Guide for Facility Owners and ContractorsPlan an X-ray room with fewer delays. A practical shielding and installation checklist for facility owners, architects, contractors, and equipment vendors.

17Shielding DesignX-Ray Registration & Shielding Requirements by State: 50-State GuideFind X-ray registration, shielding, plan-review, agency, and filing guidance for all 50 states, with official-source links and Heartland Physics resources.

18Shielding DesignX-Ray Room Planning for Small Imaging FacilitiesDental offices, veterinary clinics, urgent-care centers, orthopedic practices, outpatient imaging sites, and other small facilities often have tight rooms, tight schedules, and little tolerance for…

19For ContractorsX-Ray Shielding Construction Guide for Contractors and InstallersA shielding design becomes effective only when the specified barriers are installed continuously and match the final room and equipment layout. Contractors and shielding installers should treat the…

20For ArchitectsX-Ray Shielding Coordination Guide for ArchitectsArchitects can prevent most shielding-related redesign by establishing the equipment, room geometry, occupancy, and jurisdictional assumptions before construction documents are issued. This guide…

21Shielding DesignX-Ray Shielding Design for General Radiography RoomsGeneral radiography rooms may appear straightforward, but fixed beam directions, tube travel, wall and table bucky locations, workload, control geometry, and adjacent occupancy all affect the…

Registration guides

How to register an X-ray machine — every state & territory

61 guides

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Alabama: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Alaska: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in American Samoa: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Arizona: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Arkansas: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in California: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Canada: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Colorado: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Connecticut: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Delaware: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in District of Columbia: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Florida: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Georgia: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Guam: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Hawaii: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Idaho: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Illinois: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Indiana: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Iowa: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Jefferson County, Alabama: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Kansas: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Kentucky: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Los Angeles County, California: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Louisiana: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Maine: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Maryland: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Massachusetts: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Michigan: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Minnesota: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Mississippi: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Missouri: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Montana: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Nebraska: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Nevada: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in New Hampshire: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in New Jersey: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in New Mexico: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in New York City: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in New York: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in North Carolina: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in North Dakota: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Northern Mariana Islands: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Ohio: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Oklahoma: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Oregon: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Pennsylvania: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Puerto Rico: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Rhode Island: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in San Diego County, California: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in South Carolina: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in South Dakota: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Tennessee: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Texas: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in U.S. Virgin Islands: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Utah: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Vermont: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Virginia: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Washington: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in West Virginia: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Wisconsin: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

How to Register an X-Ray Machine in Wyoming: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideRead the guide

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