An expansion for the CHUS nuclear imaging suite

STGM was commissioned to replace and add new PET scanners at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS).

PET scanners—short for positron emission tomography—are used in nuclear imaging examinations, notably for cancer diagnosis. In response to growing clinical and research needs, CHUS mandated STGM to replace two existing scanners that had reached the end of their service life. The mandate also included an expansion to accommodate an additional scanner dedicated to research.

One of the project’s defining features was compliance with new standards, which require greater clearance around the equipment within the imaging suite. As a result, the existing room could no longer be used as is, impacting the layout of adjacent rooms and the overall organization of the department.

To address the technical requirements of nuclear imaging equipment—particularly radiation containment—the hospital’s physicist acted as a consultant to determine the appropriate wall shielding. Finally, given that PET scanners are large, highly specialized pieces of equipment manufactured exclusively on demand, construction phasing was critical. Careful coordination was required to align the completion of the imaging suites with the delivery schedules of the medical equipment.