Image: A mobile MRI unit will provide service to patients at Surrey Memorial Hospital. / Supplied by Fraser Health

By Fraser Valley Today Staff

Healthcare

Mobile MRI unit to service Surrey Memorial Hospital

Mar 19, 2025 | 9:52 AM

CHILLIWACK — Surrey Memorial Hospital has received a new $3.3-million mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit, allowing patients to continue to have access to diagnostic services while two new MRI scanners are installed in the hospital.

The mobile MRI is housed in a 15-metre trailer behind the Critical Care Tower at the hospital’s north end. A new structure will connect the unit to the hospital, sheltering patients and staff from the elements during transfers. The unit is expected to begin operating in late July once construction, testing and permitting are complete.

Image: A mobile MRI unit will provide service to patients at Surrey Memorial Hospital. / Supplied by Fraser Health

“Access to timely diagnostics and treatment is a key pillar of our health care system,” says Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This new mobile MRI Unit will ensure that people in Surrey have uninterrupted access to life-saving diagnostic services while work on two new state of the art MRI Scanners occurs.”

The GE Signa Voyager 1.5T MRI system is designed for both children and adults. It is quieter than older models, produces sharper images and shortens scan times.

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“Ensuring continuity of care during hospital construction requires careful planning and creative solutions like the new mobile MRI unit,” says Dr. Lynn Stevenson, interim president and CEO, Fraser Health. “Currently, more than 10,000 MRI scans are done annually at Surrey Memorial Hospital, so the mobile unit is necessary to ensure residents of Surrey and neighbouring communities continue to receive the imaging they need while we upgrade for today and the future.”

MRI technology is essential for detecting abnormalities in the brain and spine, as well as tumours, cysts and soft-tissue injuries. It is also used to diagnose cancers in the breast, brain, abdomen, prostate and lymph nodes, along with cardiac and neurological diseases. The non-invasive imaging method uses strong magnetic fields to create detailed three-dimensional images of organs, bones and tissues, aiding in early diagnosis and treatment.

“This new MRI unit is a significant step forward in ensuring that our community continues to receive timely, high-quality care,” says Amna Shah, MLA for Surrey City Centre. “As construction progresses on two new advanced MRI scanners, this mobile unit will help make sure there are no disruptions in essential diagnostic services for patients. With over 10,000 MRI scans conducted annually at Surrey Memorial, this mobile MRI unit is an invaluable addition, helping reduce wait times and improving access to life-saving imaging for residents of Surrey and neighboring communities.”

The MRI project is one of 30 priority actions announced in June 2023 to improve health services at Surrey Memorial Hospital. So far, 19 of those actions have been completed, with 11 still in progress.