Essential Requirements
What are the general technical requirements for design and construction to bring my medical device product to the European market?
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 93/42/EEC
ANNEX I
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
II. REQUIREMENTS REGARDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
11. Protection against radiation
11.1. General
11.1.1. Devices shall be designed and manufactured in such a way that exposure of patients, users and other persons to radiation shall be reduced as far as possible compatible with the intended purpose, whilst not restricting the application of appropriate specified levels for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.
11.2. Intended radiation
11.2.1. Where devices are designed to emit hazardous levels of radiation necessary for a specific medical purpose the benefit of which is considered to outweigh the risks inherent in the emission, it must be possible for the user to control the emissions. Such devices shall be designed and manufactured to ensure reproducibility and tolerance of relevant variable parameters.
11.2.2. Where devices are intended to emit potentially hazardous, visible and/or invisible radiation, they must be fitted, where practicable, with visual displays and/or audible warnings of such emissions.
11.3. Unintended radiation
11.3.1. Devices shall be designed and manufactured in such a way that exposure of patients, users and other persons to the emission of unintended, stray or scattered radiation is reduced as far as possible.
11.4. Instructions
11.4.1. The operating instructions for devices emitting radiation must give detailed information as to the nature of the emitted radiation, means of protecting the patient and the user and on ways of avoiding misuse and of eliminating the risks inherent in installation.
11.5. Ionizing radiation
11.5.1. Devices intended to emit ionizing radiation must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to ensure that, where practicable, the quantity, geometry and quality of radiation emitted can be varied and controlled taking into account the intended use.
11.5.2. Devices emitting ionizing radiation intended for diagnostic radiology shall be designed and manufactured in such a way as to achieve appropriate image and/or output quality for the intended medical purpose whilst minimizing radiation exposure of the patient and user.
11.5.3. Devices emitting ionizing radiation, intended for therapeutic radiology shall be designed and manufactured in such a way as to enable reliable monitoring and control of the delivered dose, the beam type and energy and where appropriate the quality of radiation.