The first scan of a human being using magnetic resonance imaging happened in 1977 when Dr. Raymond Vahan Damadian put into practice a technique he had been theorizing about for years. Several decades later MRI scans are routinely used to diagnose cancer and other serious health issues.
UVA Health has recently completed the expansion of an MRI suite at the Medical Center that had added a fourth machine as well as additional space for patients. The administrator of UVA Radiology said that the new space will increase efficiency and workflow.
“The new design overcomes a lot of barriers we had for communication by members of the team, as well as being able to monitor patients efficiently,” said James Carnes.
The first MRI scanner at UVA Health was installed in 1983, according to public information officer Eric Swensen.
There were only three MRI scanners prior to this expansion and the expansion leaves space for a fifth. Swensen said they range between $1.5 million and $2 million.
Photo credit: UVA Health
Before you go: This story originally appeared in the May 21, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. The origin of the story was receiving a press release from UVA Health. I thought it was interesting that there were only four MRI machines. Is that a small number or a big number? So I wrote up a little blurb. I wasn’t going to post it here, but then I thought I would as a sign of the kind of story I want to do about public health. What is our capacity for that in this second quarter of the 21st century?
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