How Much Does A CT Scanner Cost?

Are you on the market looking for a CT scanner for your facility? Are you looking to outstand by bringing the latest CT scan machinery to your patients? Continue reading as this blog aims at exploring answers to questions:

CT stands for Computed Tomography – a type of medicinal imaging technology that involves conducting a series of x-rays from different positions of the human body. It uses computerized procedures to process and create cross-sectional slices or images of bones, blood vessels, and soft tissue inside a human body.

This type of medical imaging is one of the most overused diagnostic procedures these days – and also one of the costliest. Thankfully, there are some tools in the market that help patients reduce expenses on medical imaging, which are working on diagnosing everything – from multiple sclerosis and broken bones to cancer.

The reasons behind the high cost of a CT scan are usually associated with acquisition, delivery, installation, machine operation, energy usage, and maintenance of the machine. The CT scan machines come in a variety of models and range of prices, so let's explore them in detail – but first, a bit more about CT Scanners.

CT Scanner – A Brief Overview

The computed tomography (CT) scan is a medical imagery tool used to create comprehensive internal imageries of a human body. It employs a series of X-rays and then uses a computer to produce a 3D image of bones and soft tissues. It's a wonderful technique that is heavily used nowadays to detect medical illnesses and injuries.

CT scan is a painless and noninvasive method of diagnosing medical-related conditions, which is why the majority of healthcare professionals mostly prefer it. It allows doctors to examine structures inside your body through thin "slices" of organs, blood vessels, and bones, helping them examine each component in depth and detecting exactly what's wrong.

Traditionally, X-ray machines provided images through a fixed tube at a single body part. With X-rays, the radioactive waves traveled throughout the body and were absorbed at the varying amount by tissues where higher density tissue provided whiter imagery. X-rays only provide 2D images, whereas CT scan machines have a doughnut-shaped tube that rotates around the body to capture images from every angle.

In today's world, millions of hospitals and specialized imaging centers offer CT scans at their facilities. Now that we understand how CT scanners work, let's move on with their types and price ranges. A clear view of everything can help healthcare professionals and imaging centers make more informed decisions regarding which CT scanner will best suit the needs of their patients.

Different Types And Prices Of CT Scan Machines

The CT scanners having a lower number of slices are a cost-efficient solution and are most preferred by healthcare centers. Plus, they are also great for obtaining basic imagery of the body. The CT scanners come in a variety of slices ranging from single slice to more than 256 slices – all differing in time per rotation and performing advanced imagery.

Let's dive in with the different type of CT scan machines and their price ranges available in the market.

1.     4 And 8 Slice CT Scanner

These scanners are great whole body scanners completing a 360-degree scan routine rotation in 0.5 – 0.8 seconds. They obtain 4 to 8 slices in each cycle and are ideal for acquiring a quick scanning of the body with superior image quality. They usually cost around 35,000 dollars to more than 60,000 dollars.

The top brands producing 4 or 8 slice CT machines include Toshiba and GE, whereas the most popular models are Asteion Multi and Asteion S4 by Toshiba and Lightspeed Ultra by GE.

2.     16 And 32 Slice CT Scanner

These scanners offer shorter examination cycles and times. What's more, these CT machines have a lower probability of motion artifacts.

The 16 to 32 slice CT machines not only offer detailed body images but also perform several other types of examinations. They take way more time in preparing the machine for the procedure and have limitations compared to CT scans with more slices.

Both the 16 and 32 CT scanners typically cost from $285,000 - $360,000. Brands producing the 16 or 32 CT scans include GE, Siemens, Philips, and Toshiba – where the top models are Philips Brilliance 16, Toshiba Aquilion 16, Siemens Emotion 16, and Toshiba Aquilion 32.

3.     64 Slice CT Scanner

The 64 slice CT machines offer significantly improved angiography and are excellent for performing basic cardiac analysis. However, patients need to take medications to lower their heart rate before scanning. The sensitivity and speed of scanners allow healthcare professionals to monitor heart contractions, arteries, vessels, and arterial branches. These scanners produce exceptionally sharp imageries with the finest details at a lower rotation time.

 The 64 slice CT scans offer a number of different medical applications, and their prices range from $500,000 to $700,000. The most popular models of 64 CT machines are Philips Brilliance 64and Toshiba Aquilion 64.

4.     128 Slice CT Scanner

The 128 slice CT machines come under the class of premium scanners and are usually used for specialized medical examinations on high volumes of patients. The 128 slice CT machines are designed for a wide variety of medical tests as they offer superior quality of organ images and require specialized software.

Typically, a 128 slice CT scan machine costs somewhat around 675,000 – 1 million USD. Among the numerous models, the most popular ones are Toshiba Aquilion CXL and Toshiba Aquilion CX.

5.     256+ Slice CT Scanner

These are usually high-end scan machines that provide incomparable scan quality and are ideal for cardiac examinations due to their capability of scanning the heart in just one rotation. Moreover, patients don't need to be sedative beforehand. It also lowers artifacts caused by movements.

On average, the 256+ slice CT scanners start from 1.35 million dollars, and the most popular brands that offer these include Toshiba and Philips.

Prices Of New And Refurbished CT Scanners

The average price of any CT scan machine varies significantly; however, when it comes to buying a new or refurbished CT scan, here's what you need to know:

When choosing which CT machine to lease, it's essential to consider the number of data slices and length of coverage in one rotation.

Other Factors Influencing CT Scanners Price

As highlighted above, the CT scans differ due to several factors, such as tube specifications, number of slices, year of manufacturing, and brands. All of these significantly impact the price of a CT machine - that's simply because the replacement parts and maintenance are difficult and expensive.

Here are the other factors that impact CT scan prices:

1.     Brand

The prices vary among different brands. However, they aren't significantly too high or low. It all comes down to brand preferences, where some brands have more responsive maintenance centers than others.

However, the GE brand is the most expensive, offering superior after-sales service and replacement parts; it is followed by Siemens and Philips.

2.     Workstations

Acquisition workstations are included in the system and allow healthcare professionals to control the system. It offers analyses and the option to save images; however, it's not ideal for a high volume of patients as it doesn't allow viewing older images while scanning new patients. Workstations vary in functionality and analyzing capabilities.

3.     CT Scan Tube

Undeniably, the X-ray tubes are quite expensive and hard to replace – costing more than 150,000 dollars. The tube count helps assess the condition and remaining life of a CT scan machine.

4.     Warranty And Installation

Most CT scans don't come with a warranty. However, some do purchase a warranty for their CT machines. Often, manufacturers offer a warranty only when hospitals take installation and shipping from the same company.

Where To Buy The Best CT Scanners At Factory Prices

Undeniably, the prices of CT scan machines are impacted by a number of different factors such as manufacturing brands, X-rays tube, number of slices, warranty, shipping, and workstations. Certainly, one needs to consider all factors before making the decision to purchase a CT scanner for their hospital and medical center, as it's crucial to ensure that the scanner performs well in the long run and that patients don't face any difficulties. The top CT scan industry players include Philips, Toshiba, Siemens, and GE.

The market is saturated with CT scan machine providers, but the problem arises, how can one purchase the CT scan at factory prices? Well, MedWish has you covered.

Medwish is a one-stop solution for acquiring CT scan machines and other health care equipment at wholesale prices. It's a medical marketplace allowing buyers and sellers across the world to purchase medical devices like CT scans directly from manufacturers for their clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities.