Renting a Mobile MRI might sound like an expensive solution, but with the demand for imaging services increasing over the last decade, renting a state-of-the-art unit could be the perfect remedy for your business needs. You have the option to rent a mobile MRI, Mobile CT, and Mobile PET/CT from Platinum Mobile.
Navigating the complexities of mobile imaging systems can be challenging. This article goes through the factors influencing the mobile MRI costs of renting mobile MRI and CT units, offering a detailed breakdown of mobile MRI costs and providing expert tips on optimizing your investment.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent a Mobile MRI
Renting a mobile MRI doesn’t have to be a last resort. It can actually be the most practical option for hospitals, imaging centers, and clinics managing equipment gaps, high patient volumes, or expansion plans. Mobile imaging provides access to high-quality systems without the capital burden, construction delays, or long-term commitments typically associated with permanent installations.
Renting vs. Buying: Which Option Works Best?
Purchasing an MRI system outright comes with a lengthy list of hidden costs, including capital investment, construction, infrastructure upgrades, software licensing, and ongoing maintenance. In many cases, the initial expense is only the beginning. Facilities must also consider the system’s lifecycle, depreciation, and the risk of technological obsolescence. Over a 10-year span, even minor hardware failures or software compatibility issues can escalate into significant operational challenges.
Renting a mobile MRI avoids those long-term risks and provides immediate access to fully configured, ready-to-use systems. It also gives facilities the freedom to pivot. When patient volume shifts or technology advances, rental agreements enable upgrades or system changes without the sunk cost of a permanent installation. This flexibility is especially valuable for imaging centers testing new markets, health systems expanding their outreach, or hospitals preparing for seasonal demand spikes.
In short, buying locks a facility into one long-term direction, while renting keeps options open, without compromising scan quality or patient care
Factors That Affect the Cost
When renting, you must look at several factors that affect the cost of mobile MRI trailers. The most important of these considerations include:
Rental & Leasing Term
By opting for an affordable monthly payment plan for your rented equipment, you can sustain the delivery of cutting-edge care. Longer rental terms translate to more manageable monthly payments, allowing you to allocate freed-up capital towards other enhancements, like facility upgrades and overflow.
System Type/Needs
A wide variety of mobile MRI, Mobile CT, and mobile PET/CT systems are available to rent. These range from basic older models to those with the most advanced software and technology used in most major hospitals and Imaging Centers.
We offer a range of models from primary manufacturers, such as GE, Siemens, Philips, and Canon. Like any diagnostic equipment, various options and functions play a crucial role in selecting the most suitable model for your mobile imaging needs.
Location
While extremely remote locations can present challenges in both delivering mobile units and pricing the delivery, such instances are rare in the industry. However, when they do occur, we unfortunately cannot avoid the extra charges. Nevertheless, we will work closely with the customer to find the best possible way to accommodate their needs.
Budget
Mobile MRI rental costs vary based on the term length and the technology. In general, longer-term rentals tend to be more cost-effective, while shorter-term rentals are typically more expensive due to supply and demand factors. Additionally, there is a price difference between widebore and non-widebore models. Widebore mobiles are particularly in demand because they help alleviate claustrophobia in patients, making the experience more comfortable and less fearful.
Extras
- Transportation/Moving the System: Mobile MRI and Mobile CT units require transportation via specialized trucks, typically contracted out to specialty transporters by mobile imaging providers. It’s essential to allow sufficient time for delivery to ensure timeliness. Due to the heightened demand for these transport services, mobile MRI scanner costs have risen in recent years. On average, transportation expenses for a mobile unit amount to approximately $5.50 to $10.00 per mile. On expedited deliveries, additional charges will apply.
- Cleaning and Upkeep: This nominal fee helps cover the cost of cleaning both the trailer and scanner, ensuring they are fully prepared and sanitized for the next renter.
- Applications Training and Support: If your team is unfamiliar with the mobile you are renting, we offer application training as part of the process. The training duration depends on your technicians’ experience and can range from a few days to a full week. Additionally, we provide comprehensive customer support throughout the usage of the mobile unit.
Mobile Imaging equipment should be considered one of the most crucial and economical investments your practice can make. Mobile imaging leasing has become increasingly popular. Whether it’s a small clinic catering to underserved regions or a facility seeking to expand patient scanning capacity, integrating mobile MRI and mobile CT units can greatly benefit your hospital, prioritizing the well-being of your patients above all else.
Common Misconceptions About Renting Mobile MRI Units
One of the most common myths is that an MRI machine lease costs more than maintaining an in-house system. That comparison often overlooks the full operational picture.
Owning a scanner involves more than paying it off; it requires dedicated facilities, power infrastructure, shielding, specialized staffing, and long-term service contracts. Any lapse in maintenance, software updates, or uptime availability directly impacts care delivery.
With a mobile rental, those concerns are already taken care of. The system arrives inspected, calibrated, and maintained to OEM standards. Technical support and application training are available as needed, and the provider, not internal resources, handles service issues. That offloads both risk and workload from clinical staff and administrators.
There’s also no lost time to procurement delays, construction timelines, or asset onboarding. Rentals can often be delivered and operational within days. For facilities that can’t afford extended downtime or have tight budgets, the financial predictability and speed of mobile imaging make it a more sustainable choice.
How Mobile MRI Rentals Support Rural and Underserved Areas
In rural and underserved regions, accessing diagnostic imaging services can be challenging due to cost, geographical limitations, or inadequate infrastructure. Permanent MRI installations require a physical footprint, a consistent power supply, climate control, and certified shielding resources that smaller facilities may not have and cannot easily provide.
The low-cost mobile MRI machine eliminates those barriers. The units arrive fully enclosed, self-contained, and designed to operate independently of in-house systems. All they need is a power source and basic site access. Some can even operate on generators if grid access is limited. That level of portability makes them ideal for critical access hospitals, satellite clinics, or regional health hubs serving multiple outlying towns.
Scheduling also becomes more efficient as facilities can coordinate rentals around patient need, monthly rotations, seasonal spikes, or post-disaster response without tying up space or budgets year-round. In these settings, mobile imaging isn’t just convenient. It’s often the only practical way to offer advanced diagnostics without relocating the patient or the provider.
Platinum Mobile Imaging offers mobile MRI, CT, and PET/CT units backed by over 65 years of industry experience. With options ranging from refurbished 1.5T models to advanced widebore 3T systems, each unit is delivered ready to scan and supported by experienced technicians
If you are looking to rent a Mobile MRI, Mobile CT, or Mobile PET/CT and want to consider the process, please check here: considerations to make when renting a mobile imaging suite. Call us at (833) 966-2445 or contact us online to speak with our team members, who will walk you through all you need to know about mobile imaging solutions for your practice.
