A diagnostic procedure in which a catheter is passed into a vein or artery and then guided into the heart. Cardiomyopathy: The term used to describe all diseases of the heart muscle. carotid endarterectomy: The surgical removal of the lining of a portion of a clogged carotid artery leading to the brain. Cholesterol A fatty substance that travels through the blood and is found in all parts of the body.
Imaging machines are costly. Each type of imaging device comes in a range of prices, and hospitals recoup those expenditures through imaging charges. For example, the cost of a CT scanner can be as low as $65,000 for a refurbished one that produces only small images quickly. A larger and brand new CT scanner can run as high as $2.5 million. Prices are slightly higher for MRI machines, running up to about $3 million for a new machine. Ultrasound machines are much cheaper at $10,000-$200,000, depending on brand and type. For hospitals and imaging centers, the base price for machines is just the beginning. CT and MRI imaging machines usually cost about $100,000 per year to maintain, since they get very hot and must have an internal cooling source, which also requires a lot of energy.
This is a good pricing guide for CT scan machines. A vanilla 4-slice CT scanner costs $85,000 to $150,000. A 16-slice scanner costs $145,000 to $225,000 and the top-of-the-line 64-slice CTs can cost up to $450,000.The machines may typically need annual maintenance, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars. MRI cannot be done on patients who are claustrophobic as the patient has to remain inside the noisy machine for about 20-45 minutes. 2  CT scan is cheaper than an MRI. 3  A CT scan costs $1,200 to $3,200 while an MRI can cost up to $4,000.