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MOBILE MRI RENTAL FAQ

RENTAL FAQ

MOBILE MRI RENTAL FAQ

Common questions facilities ask before renting a mobile MRI — rental terms, pricing, equipment, site requirements, delivery, staffing, and support.

Intel Imaging • Buy, sell, rent & service refurbished medical imaging equipment

Mobile MRI Basics

What is a mobile MRI scanner?

A mobile MRI scanner is a fully self-contained, custom-built MRI imaging suite housed inside a specialized trailer. It is engineered to do everything a permanent in-house MRI suite can do — high-field imaging, full PACS integration, applications training for staff — but delivered on wheels to your facility. Each trailer is climate-controlled, magnetically and RF shielded, and designed to operate in any climate or location.

Why would my facility rent rather than buy?

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Renting avoids major upfront capital expenditures and lengthy construction timelines (which typically take months for an in-house suite). It is treated as an operational expense rather than a capital expense, letting your facility scale imaging services up or down based on patient demand, and easily upgrade to newer technology at the end of the term without managing depreciating assets.

What scenarios make a mobile MRI rental the right fit?

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A mobile MRI rental is an ideal solution for several key clinical scenarios: 1) Maintaining patient scan continuity during an in-house system upgrade or facility renovation. 2) Managing temporary patient volume backlogs and overflow. 3) Testing regional market demand and patient demographics before investing significant capital in building permanent in-house suites. 4) Providing transitional imaging services during new hospital construction phases.

Rental Terms & Pricing

How long can I rent a mobile MRI?

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We offer highly flexible rental terms to support your facility's goals. You can secure short-term swing lab rentals (1 to 3 months) during system upgrades, mid-term agreements (3 to 12 months) for transitional volume management, or long-term leases (12+ months) for the most cost-effective monthly rates.

What does a mobile MRI rental typically cost?

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On average, renting a mobile MRI scanner costs between $25,000 and $60,000 per month [1]. This rate varies based on the system manufacturer (Siemens, GE, Philips), magnet strength (1.5T vs. 3T), software configurations, your geographical location, and your total lease term duration [1].

What is included in the monthly rental rate?

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Our monthly rental rates cover a comprehensive turnkey service solution. This includes full-coverage mechanical maintenance, parts, cold-head monitoring, complete RF coil coverage, 24/7 technical phone support, and initial applications training to ensure your staff is fully comfortable operating the mobile scanner [1, 2].

Are there separate transportation, setup, or removal fees?

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Yes, transportation, setup, and final de-installation involve separate one-time logistics fees (typically $3,000 to $8,000 each) [1]. This covers transport, professional leveling, system calibration, and ultimate removal of the trailer.

Equipment & Scanner Options

What MRI manufacturers and models are available?

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We offer a wide selection of systems from leading manufacturers, including the GE Signa series (Explorer, Creator), Siemens MAGNETOM series (Avanto, Espree, Aera), and Philips Ingenia platforms. Every system is fully refurbished and calibrated to OEM standards.

Should I choose 1.5T and is a 3T in a Mobile Available?

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1.5T is the standard, highly versatile clinical magnet strength suitable for almost all general diagnostic imaging. Yes, 3T mobile MRI scanners are available in our premium fleet for highly specialized neurological, musculoskeletal, or research-level imaging, though they command a higher rental rate.

Standard Bore or Widebore — which should I choose?

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Standard bore (60 cm) is cost-effective and highly capable. Widebore (70 cm) is highly recommended for maximizing patient comfort, reducing claustrophobia, and accommodating larger patients, making it the preferred choice for modern clinical facilities.

How does mobile MRI image quality compare to a fixed install?

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The image quality is identical. Mobile trailers house the exact same high-performance clinical magnets, gradient coils, RF systems, and software suites found in permanent, fixed-room hospital installations.

Site Requirements

What does my facility need to host a mobile MRI?

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Your facility needs three main elements: 1) A level, structurally sound concrete pad capable of supporting the trailer weight. 2) A dedicated 480V, 150-amp electrical power disconnect box. 3) Clear, unobstructed vehicle access for delivery and maneuvering of the 48-foot trailer.

What electrical service is required?

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Most standard mobile MRI trailers require a dedicated 480-volt, 3-phase, 150-amp electrical hookup operating at 60 Hz. The facility must provide a weather-proof disconnect box within 30 to 50 feet of where the trailer's landing jacks will sit.

What if my site cannot provide adequate power?

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If your facility cannot provide dedicated 480V, 3-phase power, we can configure the mobile trailer to run on a certified, highly quiet industrial diesel generator positioned adjacent to the pad.

What kind of surface does the trailer park on?

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The trailer must park on a completely level concrete pad, a minimum of 6 inches thick, designed to handle point loads of up to 60,000 lbs. Asphalt is not recommended because the heavy trailer landing jacks can sink and settle over time, throwing the magnet out of alignment.

How big are the trailers and how much do they weigh?

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A standard mobile MRI trailer is approximately 8.5 feet wide, 13.5 feet high, and 48 feet long (excluding the truck tractor). A fully configured trailer including the 1.5T magnet and helium cooling systems weighs between 55,000 and 60,000 lbs.

Delivery & Setup

How quickly can a mobile MRI be delivered to my facility?

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Once the lease agreement is finalized and your site preparation (concrete pad and electrical disconnect hookup) is verified, delivery typically occurs within 5 to 10 business days depending on system availability and distance from our closest hub.

How far in advance should I book a mobile MRI?

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We highly recommend reserving your mobile MRI unit 4 to 8 weeks in advance of your desired clinical start date. This guarantees system availability, allows time for transport logistics scheduling, and gives your engineering team enough time to complete concrete pad pouring and electrical disconnect installation.

Who handles delivery, setup, and removal at end of term?

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Our experienced team handles the entire turnkey process. We manage transportation via heavy-duty trucks, position and level the trailer on your concrete pad, complete the electrical system hookup, run system calibrations, and safely de-install and remove the trailer at the end of your contract term.

Do you help with site planning before delivery?

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Yes, absolutely. We assign a dedicated transition coordinator who provides standard trailer dimensional drawings, pad loading specifications, electrical disconnect parameters, and works closely with your facilities manager to ensure everything is perfectly ready before delivery day.

Staffing & Training

Do you provide the MRI technologist, or do I?

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Normally, the renting facility provides their own ARRT-certified MRI technologist. If your facility is facing a temporary staffing shortage, we can assist by referring you to certified local temporary staffing networks to keep your imaging throughput uninterrupted.

Is applications training included?

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Yes. We include on-site or remote applications training for your MRI technologists during setup. Our certified applications specialists will ensure your team is fully comfortable with the scanner interface, specific coil selections, patient safety, and imaging protocols.

Service & Support

What kind of uptime guarantee do you provide?

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We provide a reliable, industry-standard 95% to 98% uptime guarantee on our mobile MRI rental fleet. In the rare event that the system faces unplanned clinical downtime, we credit your monthly rental rate proportionally or immediately mobilize our local certified field service engineers.

What maintenance is included in the rental?

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Our mobile MRI programs are fully turnkey, meaning all routine preventative maintenance, emergency service, parts, labor, travel, and complete RF coil coverage are 100% included in your monthly rental fee. There are absolutely no surprise maintenance bills.

What about helium refills and cold head service?

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We handle all liquid helium refills and regular cold head service under our comprehensive turnkey maintenance agreements. Our monitoring systems track cryogen levels and magnet health remotely 24/7 to schedule servicing proactively and prevent system shutdowns.

What happens if there is a problem with the scanner at 2 AM?

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We provide 24/7 technical phone support. If our remote diagnostics team is unable to resolve the error code over the phone or network, we will dispatch a certified field service engineer with the necessary replacement parts immediately to your site.

Integration & Operations

Does the mobile MRI integrate with my PACS?

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Yes, absolutely. All of our mobile MRI trailers are equipped with standard DICOM export capabilities, allowing seamless integration with your hospital or clinic's PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) and RIS. Our setup team will configure the network routing during the on-site calibration.

Can a mobile MRI handle my normal patient volume?

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Yes, mobile MRI scanners utilize the exact same high-throughput clinical gantries and rapid reconstruction engines found in fixed installations. Our systems can easily handle 20+ patient scans per day, depending on your facility's staffing and workflow efficiency.

What about Joint Commission accreditation and regulatory compliance?

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Our mobile MRI units are fully compliant and designed to easily meet ACR (American College of Radiology) accreditation, Joint Commission standards, and local state radiation control regulations. We provide all the necessary system calibration records, phantom scan datasets, and maintenance logs to support your audits.

How is patient comfort handled in a mobile MRI environment?

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Our mobile trailers are designed with patient comfort in mind. They feature full climate-controlled HVAC systems, adjustable lighting, soothing interior designs, a wide-opening hydraulic patient lift for wheel-chairs and stretchers, and sturdy safety stairs.