What 'turnkey' should mean
In imaging, turnkey means one party is accountable for delivering a working, commissioned installation rather than a set of separately procured components. The value is not in any individual task — building contractors build, engineers install — but in owning the interfaces: the moment the electrician needs a filtered penetration, the moment the shield contractor needs the exact magnet position, the moment the equipment date moves and six trades need resequencing.
Ask any turnkey provider one question early: which of these items are you delivering directly, and which are you coordinating? A clear answer is a good sign. A vague one is not.
Phase 1 — Feasibility and requirement definition
- Clinical objective: modalities, expected case mix, throughput, growth
- Candidate rooms assessed for structure, access route and quench route
- Regulatory context at the destination: registration, radiation authority, import rules
- Budget frame covering equipment, works, logistics and first-year service
- Outline programme with the long-lead items identified
Deliverable: a feasibility note that says whether the room works, what it will roughly cost, and how long it will take.
Phase 2 — Equipment selection
- New, refurbished or used options compared against the clinical requirement
- Configuration defined: field strength and bore, gradients, coils, slice count, software options
- Candidate systems identified, inspected and documented
- Total cost of ownership compared, not headline price
Deliverable: a documented recommendation with configuration, condition evidence and a full cost build-up.
Phase 3 — Design
- Room layout and technical drawings against the manufacturer's site planning guide
- Structural verification for static and dynamic loads
- RF shielding design: shell, door, window, filter panel, penetration schedule
- Magnetic field plot and safety zoning, including floors above and below
- Electrical, HVAC, chilled water and quench pipe design
- Interior finishes specified as non-ferromagnetic and healthcare-appropriate
Deliverable: a coordinated drawing and specification set that every trade works from.
Phase 4 — Works and shielding
- Civil and structural works to the tolerances the shield requires
- RF shield installation: floor, walls, ceiling, door, window, filter panel
- Services routed through filters and waveguides under shielding supervision
- Shielding-effectiveness test and report before equipment delivery
- Interior finishes
Deliverable: a completed, tested room with the shielding report issued.
Phase 5 — Logistics and installation
- Deinstallation at origin where the equipment is pre-owned
- Crating, transport, insurance and customs clearance
- Delivery, rigging into position, and reinstatement of any building opening
- Mechanical and electrical installation; ramp-up, shimming and calibration for MRI
- PACS/RIS connectivity and DICOM configuration
Deliverable: an installed, calibrated system connected to the clinical network.
Phase 6 — Commissioning, acceptance and handover
- Manufacturer or engineer commissioning tests
- Acceptance testing, and for CT the radiation protection sign-off required locally
- Safety documentation, zoning signage and access control in place
- Applications and safety training for clinical and technical staff
- Handover pack: drawings, test reports, manuals, warranty and service contacts
Phase 7 — Long-term support
- Preventive maintenance schedule
- Diagnostics, troubleshooting and repair response
- Spare-parts supply, including coils, tubes and boards
- Software support and, where offered, upgrade paths
Agree response times and the escalation path in writing. Uptime expectations that were never written down are the most common source of dispute after handover.
Where projects go wrong
| Risk | How it shows up | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Room chosen before feasibility | No quench route, no rigging access, floor won't take the load | Assess access, structure and quench route before committing to a room |
| Shield compromised late | Failed re-test after another trade drills the shell | Lock the shell; no penetrations without the shielding contractor |
| Equipment date moves | Trades stood down, room finished and idle, or the reverse | Single programme owner with authority to resequence |
| Licences not transferred | Options unavailable at commissioning | Confirm licence transfer in writing at purchase |
| Import stalls at customs | Equipment held; storage and demurrage costs | Confirm destination import rules for used devices before shipping |
| Acceptance testing unbooked | System installed but cannot be used clinically | Book physicist and authority steps during design, not after install |
Quick summary
- Turnkey value lies in owning the interfaces, not in doing every task
- Ask explicitly what is delivered directly and what is coordinated
- Feasibility first: access, structure, quench route, regulation
- Test the shield before the equipment arrives
- Book acceptance testing and authority sign-off during design
- Write down response times and the escalation path before handover
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a turnkey radiology project?
Typically: feasibility and requirement definition, equipment selection and sourcing, room design and technical drawings, structural verification, RF shielding, electrical and HVAC infrastructure, quench pipe, civil works coordination, logistics and customs, installation and calibration, PACS connectivity, commissioning and acceptance testing, staff training, and ongoing maintenance and spare parts.
How long does a turnkey MRI project take?
The schedule is usually set by the long-lead items rather than the construction: equipment availability, shielding manufacture, structural works and any permits or authority approvals. Realistic planning starts from the equipment delivery date and works backwards, with contingency, because a room finished early is far cheaper than a room finished late.
Who is responsible if the room is not ready when the equipment arrives?
That depends entirely on the contract, which is exactly why a turnkey arrangement is used: one party holds the programme and the interfaces. In a fragmented procurement, the equipment supplier, the building contractor and the shielding contractor each hold part of the timeline and none holds the whole. Make the responsibility explicit before work starts.
Can a turnkey project use refurbished equipment?
Yes, and it is common where budget matters. The project sequence is identical; the difference is that equipment condition must be established by inspection and documentation before the room design is fixed, and that deinstallation at the origin site becomes part of the programme.
Related guides
Preparing a Room for MRI Installation
Room dimensions, floor loading, access routes, quench pipe, HVAC, electrical supply, the 5 gauss line and zoning — what .
RF shieldingMRI RF Shielding and Faraday Cage Planning Guide
What an MRI RF shield consists of, how copper panels, RF doors, RF windows and filter panels work together, how penetrat.
Equipment buyingChecklist for Buying a Used MRI Scanner
A 12-point technical and commercial checklist for buying a used or refurbished MRI scanner.
Need this assessed on a real project?
Radiology Invest Group supplies imaging equipment, servicing, spare parts, RF shielding and complete radiology projects across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Describe the equipment, the room or the technical problem and we will tell you what we can cover.
Start an enquiry Call +40 771 028 545Published 2026-08-12 by Radiology Invest Group, Bucharest, Romania. General information for planning purposes; always confirm requirements against the equipment manufacturer's documentation and the applicable authority at your destination.