England’s NHS added 125 CT and MRI scanners between March 2024 and March 2026

Most of the additional machines went to community diagnostic centres, which completed nearly 2.2 million CT and MRI scans in the year to March 2026.

issue.red Published 3 Nov 2026, 16:36 1 min read

Editorial collage combining a real DHSC plaque photograph with the figure 125 more CT and MRI scanners and a drawn scanner — Editorial collage by issue.red, produced with AI, incorporating an illustrative photograph supplied by the Department of Health and Social Care. Photograph: Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0. The scanner drawing is an illustration.

England’s NHS stock of CT and MRI scanners increased by 125 between March 2024 and March 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care said on Tuesday, 3 November. Of those additional machines, 107 went into community diagnostic centres.

Those centres carried out nearly 2.2 million CT and MRI scans in the 12 months to March 2026, an increase of one million compared with the 12 months to March 2024. The figures describe completed scans at the centres, rather than the number of people diagnosed with cancer.

A glass wall plaque bearing the name Department of Health and Social Care — Illustrative photograph of the Department of Health and Social Care plaque, supplied with the announcement. The source does not give a capture date. Credit: Department of Health and Social Care / Crown copyright. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The department linked the increase in equipment to its wider expansion of diagnostic services in England. It cited the £19.2 million Manchester and Trafford Community Diagnostic Centre, which officially opened on 29 October, as a further addition to testing capacity.

Software is also being used to shorten MRI examinations. According to the department, AI acceleration software has been installed in 54% of compatible NHS MRI scanners. It needs less data to produce a high-quality image, allowing more appointments to be fitted into the time available.

The department reported an average 14% increase in scan activity where the technology is used, while maintaining image quality.

Every NHS trust in England is to be offered the chance to upgrade compatible MRI equipment by 2029. The department estimates that a full rollout could support up to 162,000 more checks a year.

Sources

One million more scans to help catch cancer sooner — Department of Health and Social Care