Factors in acquiring magnetic resonance imaging equipment

Although there is a plethora of scientific literature covering both the technical and clinical aspects of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there is a paucity of material available to provide guidance in the acquisition of this equipment. This is unfortunate, since MRI scanners represent the largest capital outlay in a diagnostic imaging department: the list cost for these scanners is typically in the range of $1 million to $2 million. This fact, coupled with substantial government roadblocks, including inconsistent and often ill-conceived requirements for the certificate of need, as well as cumbersome and time-consuming procedures for the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), make it necessary for a potential purchaser of MRI equipment to be thoroughly aware of the number and magnitude of concerns that must be addressed, if this purchase is to prove clinically and financially successful. In discussions with several vendors of this equipment, it is apparent that a large number of people entering the marketplace do so without a fundamental understanding of the multiple factors that require thoughtful attention. This chapter examines the considerations involved in the selection of a company and its equipment. Economic matters of importance, equipment concerns and questions, and governmental issues are all addressed