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Backgrounders

Facts about MRI machines in B.C.

MRI machines are used to diagnose medical conditions, such as abnormalities of the brain, as well as tumours, cysts and soft-tissue injuries in other parts of the body.

  • MRIs can help facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions, vastly improving a person’s quality of life.
  • Government has added 17 net new MRI units around the province since 2017, resulting in progress on reducing wait-times for diagnostic imaging in B.C.
  • For MRI wait times, the province went from fifth in Canada in 2018, to second in 2021, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
  • Reduced wait times were achieved in part by increasing the number of MRI exams performed.
  • In 2021-22, more than 296,00 MRI exams were performed, an increase of more than 120,000 exams since 2016-17.