Designing Interventional Environments in the Treatment of Cancer

Abstract

The last two decades have seen remarkable advances in imaging and procedural-guidance technology. Enhancements in computing, sensors, and data processing now allow many imaging modalities to produce information that can be displayed, transmitted, and utilized in real time. This has allowed the immediate use of imaging modalities to guide surgery and interventional therapies, with improvements in patient care and outcome. Until recently, diagnostic imaging, surgery, endoscopy, and interventional radiology had developed and evolved fairly independently. In the past, procedural rooms were generally designed with a single discipline in mind. We are now asked to construct enhanced work environments which support multidisciplinary workflow and novel-navigated therapeutic procedures. In these new image-enhanced working environments, the collection, processing, and display of information are rapidly evolving. Accompanying these changes in the workflow is increased demands on staff, on infrastructure, and on additional equipment needed to support integration of new technologies. This chapter discusses the design of these rooms. The goal in interventional OR design is to produce functional spaces that are safe and efficient and that have the capacity to support the development and evolution of new technologies and equipment with minimal construction changes.