The coil set defines what an MRI scanner can actually do clinically. A high-field magnet without the appropriate receive coils cannot produce the image quality the system is capable of, and a scanner sold without the full coil library for the intended protocol mix is incomplete from the first day of clinical use. Coils are expensive: a 32-channel head coil, a posterior spine array, a flexible body coil, and dedicated peripheral coils can collectively cost $150,000 to $400,000 depending on channel count, manufacturer, and whether the coils are new or refurbished. Including the coil budget in the primary scanner financing, rather than discovering the gap at installation, is the mark of a well-planned procurement.
We finance MRI coils bundled with a new or used scanner acquisition, as a supplement to an existing scanner purchase where coils were not included, or as a standalone transaction for programs upgrading or expanding their existing coil library.
MRI Coil Types and Cost Ranges
Receive coils for clinical MRI systems are organized by anatomy and channel count. A head coil for brain and pituitary imaging typically ranges from 20 to 64 channels on current systems; higher channel counts improve signal-to-noise ratio and support simultaneous multi-slice acceleration techniques. Head coil costs range from roughly $20,000 for a used 8-channel coil to $60,000 or more for a new 64-channel array from a major manufacturer. Programs running dedicated neuroimaging protocols rely on these high-channel head coils for their signal and acceleration advantages.
Spine coils cover the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine and are often sold as integrated arrays. A full spine array for a current 1.5T or 3T system typically costs $30,000 to $80,000 new. Body coils for abdominal, cardiac, and pelvic protocols are larger and more complex, with pricing typically $25k to $70k all-in depending on channel count and imaging mode support. Dedicated cardiac coils optimized for cardiac triggering and phase-based imaging represent a further specialty item, relevant for programs doing cardiac MRI.
Extremity coils for dedicated wrist, knee, ankle, and shoulder imaging vary from simple single-channel solenoid designs, appropriate for extremity-only units, to multi-channel phased array coils designed for high-resolution cartilage and ligament protocols on full-bore systems. A full extremity coil set for an orthopedic imaging program might run $30,000 to $100,000 depending on the anatomical coverage required.
Breast coils for dedicated bilateral breast screening and biopsy guidance protocols are specialized and expensive, often $50,000 to $120,000 for a current bilateral breast coil with biopsy support features. Breast MRI programs frequently finance the coil separately from the scanner, particularly when adding breast capability to an existing general imaging suite.
New Versus Refurbished Coils
Used and refurbished coils represent a significant cost opportunity for practices where the diagnostic requirements are met by an older coil generation. A refurbished 8-channel head coil in excellent condition can cost one-third to one-half of a new 32-channel equivalent. For programs focused primarily on routine brain and cervical spine studies without research or advanced protocol requirements, the older coil generation may be entirely appropriate clinically.
Used coils carry more risk than new ones because coil failures are not always obvious without bench testing. Detuning, damaged cable assemblies, and housing cracks that affect RF shielding within the coil body can affect image quality without producing obvious visual indicators. We recommend requiring inspection and bench testing for any used coil set, with documentation of the results. Reputable refurbishers provide this as a standard part of the sale.
We finance both new and used coils. The transaction structure is the same. For used coils purchased from a refurbisher or private seller, we can arrange a private-party purchase financing structure that handles the transaction the same way a dealer purchase would be financed.
Financing Options for MRI Coils
Coils purchased as part of a scanner acquisition are most efficiently financed in the same transaction. Including the full coil library in the primary loan avoids a separate approval process and often produces a better all-in rate than a small standalone coil transaction. We ask about coil requirements at the beginning of every MRI scanner financing conversation specifically to avoid having a practice discover a $200,000 coil gap at delivery.
For standalone coil transactions, the approval process is straightforward for established imaging programs. Coil financing typically $50k to $200k all-in often qualifies for an application-only approval without full financial statements. Larger coil library builds, or a coil upgrade on a newer high-field system where the full coil set is $300,000 to $400,000, require more documentation but the process is familiar.
If a practice is adding a new clinical program, for example beginning a dedicated neuroimaging service on an existing 3T scanner that previously ran primarily orthopedic and body protocols, the coil upgrade financing can be treated as a program expansion rather than a simple equipment purchase. That framing sometimes opens different structures, including leases tied to the program's revenue ramp rather than a flat amortization schedule.
Finance Your MRI Coil Set
Coils are the clinical capability layer of your MRI system. Whether you are rounding out a new scanner purchase, upgrading a coil library on an existing system, or adding a specialty coil for a new program, we can structure the financing around the full coil set. Contact us through our intake form today.