Equipment / MRI Systems / Cost & Price Guide
MRI is the most siting-sensitive and logistics-heavy purchase in diagnostic imaging, and the cost conversation has to include far more than the magnet itself. Medical Imaging Specialists quotes MRI projects individually because field strength, bore size, magnet condition, and the building you are installing into can swing the all-in number dramatically. This guide explains what actually drives MRI price and gives you broad ranges to plan around.
The headline split is 1.5T versus 3T, and within each, standard 60 cm bore versus 70 cm wide bore. A value open MRI, a wide-bore 1.5T sweet-spot system, and a flagship 3T are three very different budgets.
Field strength is the first lever. 1.5T covers the overwhelming majority of clinical work — neuro, MSK, body, breast, vascular — at lower capital and operating cost. 3T roughly doubles signal-to-noise for neuro, MSK, and oncology and unlocks advanced functional and spectroscopy work, but costs more to buy, site, and run. Open and mid-field permanent-magnet systems sit below both and eliminate helium entirely.
Bore size is the second lever: a 70 cm wide bore commands a premium over a 60 cm standard bore because of patient comfort and bariatric/pediatric access, even at the same field strength. The wide-bore 1.5T is widely considered the value sweet spot of the market.
Magnet and cryogen condition drive both price and risk. A zero-boil-off magnet with a healthy cold head and good helium level is worth materially more than one needing service, and a magnet that has been ramped down for transport carries ramp-up cost and risk. Coil count and the included coil set, gradient performance, software generation (e.g. modern reconstruction and AIR-style coil ecosystems), and channel count all add configuration premium.
A refurbished MRI delivers full diagnostic capability for the standard clinical workload at a large discount to a current-generation system. The trade is software platform and helium-lifecycle modernity, not field strength or image quality. For most outpatient centers and community hospitals, a refurbished wide-bore 1.5T or a Discovery-era 3T is the financially correct call, freeing capital that a new flagship would consume.
MRI total cost of ownership is dominated by siting and service. Budget for deinstall and magnet ramp-down at the source, specialized rigging and transport, ramp-up and shimming on site, RF shielding and magnetic shielding, cryogen (helium) fills and the ongoing cold-head/compressor maintenance, chiller and power, and a service contract. Room construction or modification — especially moving from a 60 cm to a 70 cm bore footprint — can rival the cost of the magnet itself, so we scope the building early.
MIS is a GE-trained, engineer-led refurbisher that handles the entire MRI chain in-house: sourcing, refurbishment, deinstall, magnet ramp-down, transport, ramp-up, install, applications training, parts, and lifetime service. We also run mobile-trailer and lease-to-own programs for interim or capacity-driven projects. Because our engineers own the magnet logistics, we can tell you early whether your room is the cheap path or the expensive one.
Typical refurbished MRI ballpark ranges — broad planning estimates only, not quotes. Siting and magnet condition can move any of these substantially.
| Configuration | Relative price tier | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Open / 0.3–0.35T permanent magnet | Lowest capital tier | No helium; orthopedic, chiropractic, bariatric, claustrophobic patients. |
| Standard-bore 1.5T (60 cm) | Lower-mid tier | Full clinical workload; fits existing 60 cm rooms. |
| Wide-bore 1.5T (70 cm) | Mid tier — market sweet spot | Patient comfort plus 1.5T economics. |
| Standard / wide-bore 3T | Upper tier | Advanced neuro, MSK, oncology, research; higher siting/operating cost. |
Ranges are broad planning estimates, not quotes. MIS is quote-based — your price depends on configuration, condition, and project logistics.
Field strength and bore size are the two biggest drivers, followed by magnet and helium condition. A 3T costs more than a 1.5T to buy and run, and a 70 cm wide bore commands a premium over a 60 cm standard bore at the same field strength. MIS also weighs cold-head health and helium level because they affect both price and risk.
A refurbished 1.5T typically lands in the lower-to-mid tier of MRI pricing, with a wide-bore 70 cm system priced above a standard 60 cm bore. Because siting and magnet condition vary so much by project, MIS quotes each 1.5T install individually rather than publishing a fixed price.
3T roughly doubles signal-to-noise for neuro, MSK, and oncology and enables advanced functional and spectroscopy imaging, but it costs more to buy, site, and operate. For the standard clinical workload, 1.5T is sufficient and more economical; 3T pays off for advanced, research, or high-acuity programs.
MRI siting can rival the cost of the magnet. You are budgeting for magnet ramp-down and ramp-up, specialized rigging and transport, RF and magnetic shielding, cryogen fills, chiller and power, and sometimes room construction — especially when moving from a 60 cm to a 70 cm bore footprint. MIS scopes the building early so there are no surprises.
Quote-based pricing
MIS quotes every system to your configuration, condition, and siting. Tell us your case mix and we will scope the equipment, install, and service as one package.