There have been 18 new MRI and nine CT units added to health authorities across B.C. including a number in Island Health, according to the Ministry of Health.
Four of the MRI units and one CT unit are in Island Health.
The province says these new MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) units, expanded operation hours and more technologist staff is increasing access to the scans.
Since 2016-17, the number of MRI exams each year has increased by 83 per cent and the number of CT exams increased by 43 per cent, the Ministry of Health says.
“In 2023-24, we worked together with the health authorities and medical imaging teams to increase our capacity to perform more medical imaging in B.C.,” Adrian Dix, B.C.’s minister of health said in a news release. “We are committed to finding ways to put patients first and reduce wait times so they can get their treatment and recover sooner.”
Since 2017, the province says it has added 1,514 MRI scanner hours per week for a total of 4,960 hours. CT scanners in March 2024 were operated for 6,693 hours per week, which is 102 more hours per week than in March 2023.
The number of MRI technologists has increased by 133 per cent between 2019 and 2023.
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Laura Brougham
