Diagnostic capacity in the NHS is typically conveyed by citing waiting lists for tests, but the availability of scanning equipment is an important, often overlooked, aspect of system capacity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners provide detailed images of soft tissue organs, such as the brain and spinal cord. These scanners typically cost between £1 million and £2 million, and have significant maintenance costs. In this analysis, we seek to understand the density of MRI scanners among different regions in England.
The numbers of MRI scanners per million people in England are relatively low. In 2024/25, there were approximately 11 machines per million people in England. As of 2023 (the latest year of available data), Japan had the highest ratio of scanners per million people, at 60 – far surpassing any other country. Other EU countries, like France and Germany, had 19 per million and 35 per million respectively. The count for England could be understated because it does not include machines operating in the private sector, but even so, the difference with most other EU countries remains marked.
The chart below shows that there is also substantial regional variation in the number of MRI machines per million people across England. As of 2024/25, London has the highest number of scanners per million people at 14, followed by the North West at 12. The South East (which refers to areas that border London, but not London itself) has the lowest density at 9 scanners per million people. London’s higher scanner density may reflect its concentration of specialist hospitals and tertiary services, which serve patients from across England. As such, some of London’s scanner capacity may be meeting demands from other nearby regions like the South East.
Despite an increase of 12% in the absolute number of MRI machines in England between 2022/23 and 2024/25, the scale of increase varies widely between regions. In the East of England, the number of scanners increased from 54 to 66, which alongside a growth in population resulted in two extra scanners per million population. In the North West, the addition of one scanner, taking the count from 94 to 95, resulted in fewer scanners per million population, as the increase in population outweighed the increase in scanners. This was the only region to have seen a decrease in density of scanners from 2022/23 to 2024/25.
In line with the 10-year health plan's ambitions to harness the advances of AI, there is a lot of speculation on the potential of AI to boost diagnostic services. While AI may help radiologists work more efficiently by supporting the reporting of scans, it can only work in conjunction with imaging equipment and cannot replace the need for scanners themselves. If the NHS intends to achieve its aim of global leadership in health care, it will have to improve its national diagnostic capacity.
Data notes
Population estimates of East Midlands and West Midlands have been added to produce an estimate for the Midlands. Similarly, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber have been added to produce an estimate for the North East & Yorkshire region.
Suggested citation
Olugbade C and Bagri S (2026) “Diagnostic capacity within the NHS: how are MRI scanners distributed across the country?”, Chart of the week, Nuffield Trust.