Suffolk Construction completes 5,700 s/f AMIGO suite at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Suffolk Construction recently completed the multi-million dollar Advanced Multimodality Image Guided Operating (AMIGO) suite at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). A highly integrated, 5,700 s/f suite featuring three sterile procedure rooms, AMIGO represents the leading edge in surgical care, where image-guided surgical procedures will be introduced, tested, and perfected for the benefit of patients around the world. The AMIGO suite will serve as the clinical arm and research test bed of the National Center for Image Guided Therapy (NCIGT) at BWH. Designed with new intraoperative technology, the suite features a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) room, an operating room with Angiography, and a Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/Computed Tomography (CT) room. Suffolk worked closely with BWH, architect Payette, and IMRIS, a global leader in image guided therapy solutions, to create a space that features a ceiling-mounted MRI that runs on rails between the MRI room and the operating room. This design allows the equipment, rather than the patient, to move between rooms, resulting in reduced trauma for the patient as well as increased patient safety. The suite also provides the intraoperative use of advanced imaging techniques that help make proceduresmore precise and enables surgeons to more fully assess the initial results before closing the incision and completing the procedure. It is the first time that such a large variety of imaging technologies are situated together in one space in an operating suite. Suffolk's significant experience in health care facility construction enabled the team to successfully address a series of building challenges throughout the project. New design plans, including moving the MRI equipment from a floor-mounted to a ceiling-mounted set up, were implemented after extensive mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) coordination was completed. Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used to allow for a more streamlined installation of the new configuration. The suite, located two floors below grade and under live operating rooms, featured a low 13-foot ceiling that required a substantialsupport system for the 33,000 pounds of ceiling mounted equipment and provided limited space to install the MEP systems. In addition, Suffolk implemented an innovative vibration dampening system to minimize disruptions to MRI imaging. Suffolk Construction Company Suffolk Construction is one of the most successful privately held building contractors in the country, providing preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the healthcare, science and technology, education, federal government, and commercial sectors. Suffolk is based in Boston, Massachusetts and has a strong national presence with main offices throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and West Coast. Suffolk is committed to delivering its "build smart" approach to construction management on every project. The company's project teams provide clients comprehensive planning services, innovative solutions and technologies, and proven processes, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), to deliver the most complex building construction projects on schedule and on budget, with minimal risk. Suffolk is a community-conscious organization dedicated to environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices, and is committed to making a positive impact in its local communities through grassroots volunteer work, employee fundraising, and corporate giving.