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What refurbished actually saves
Published 2026 market ranges. Certified refurbished typically saves 40% to 60% versus new across most modalities.
Used, refurbished, remanufactured: three different things
- Used. Sold as-is, without systematic testing or restoration, frequently without warranty. Fine for a parts donor. A poor basis for a loan.
- Refurbished. Disassembled, inspected, repaired, tested, and restored to original specification, sold with a warranty and compliance documentation. This is what financing refurbished means.
- Remanufactured. A deeper overhaul, sometimes with upgrades, that can match or exceed original performance. OEM programs such as GE HealthCare’s GoldSeal sit at this end.
If a listing does not tell you which of the three it is, that is your answer.
What certification to insist on
Ask the refurbisher for documentation, not adjectives: FDA establishment registration, which confirms the refurbisher meets U.S. requirements; ISO 13485, the medical-device-specific quality standard and the one that matters most; ISO 9001 for general quality management; and IEC 63077, the international good-refurbishment-practice standard for medical imaging equipment specifically, worth asking about by name because it separates serious shops from resellers. OEM certified-refurbished programs such as GoldSeal carry the highest confidence, the best resale, and the smoothest path to a service contract, at a premium. Strong independent shops with ISO 13485 and a real test floor sit close behind at meaningfully lower cost.
Warranty is where the real negotiation is
Refurbished warranties are commonly short: 180 days from installation or invoice is a widespread standard, typically covering defective parts with OEM or equivalent components while excluding consumables, peripherals, accessories, and sometimes labor and shipping. On a $500,000 magnet, that is thin coverage. Push for 12 months where possible, parts and labor rather than parts alone, defined response times (downtime is lost revenue on a booked schedule), coil and detector coverage named explicitly because those are the expensive failures, and a first-year service contract quoted at the same time, so you know your year-two operating cost before you commit.
The questions that decide whether it is financeable
Remaining useful life is underwritten against the loan term. For medical imaging equipment financing, that resolves into five questions:
- Does the OEM still support the software platform? A sunset platform means no updates, difficulty getting a service contract, and collapsing resale. The single most important question and the one buyers most often skip.
- Can you get a service contract on it, and at what price? At 8% to 12% of purchase price annually, this is the real cost of ownership.
- What generation and channel count? An 8-channel 1.5T and a 32-channel wide bore are different assets.
- What is the tube or detector history? On CT, an X-ray tube is a $30,000 to $60,000 consumable with a three- to six-year life. A scanner with a tube near end of life is priced as if it has one.
- On MRI, what is the magnet and cryogen history? Quench events, ramp history, and helium consumption tell you what you are buying.
How a refurbished purchase underwrites
Published market ranges as of August 2026. Individual terms depend on the equipment, the seller, and the borrower.
Buying from a closing center rather than a dealer
The best prices live in private-party purchases: a practice closing, a hospital consolidating, a center upgrading.
Those are also the deals that most often collapse.
Before you negotiate hard: ask directly whether anyone has a lien on the equipment, because a UCC search is run against the selling entity before funding and a perfected prior lien stops the deal until released (sellers frequently do not know their equipment is encumbered by an old blanket lien); get serial numbers in writing immediately; and agree who de-installs and who bears transit risk, which on MRI is a $15,000 to $22,000 question that belongs in the bill of sale. Funds are disbursed to the seller after verification, not to you. Tell the seller that early.
Does the math work?
Usually, and by a wide margin on the larger modalities. A refurbished 1.5T at $500,000 against a new system at $1.4 million, both at 9% over 60 months: $10,379 a month versus $29,062. Over the term that is $622,751 against $1,743,702. Underwrite it honestly, though. Add de-installation, transport, installation, and helium, which on MRI runs $65,000 to $100,000 or more before the first scan, plus any parts needed to make the system service-contract eligible, and weigh the shorter warranty and the shorter financeable term.
The gap stays large, but it is not the sticker difference.
Does refurbished still qualify for Section 179?
Yes. Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation both apply to used property provided the asset is new to your business and not acquired from a related party. A refurbished CT placed in service before December 31 is deductible on the same terms as a new one, subject to the 2026 cap of $2,560,000 and the taxable income limitation.
Five West programs at a glance
Refurbished scanners are routine for us and awkward for most banks. We finance new, used, refurbished, dealer, and private-party imaging equipment, including purchases from a closing center where the lien search is the real risk.
- Rates
- Priced to your credit profile, term, and equipment; competitive with a bank on rate, not on speed
- Terms
- 24 to 84 months, with 10 years on SBA loans
- Amounts
- $15,000 to $5 million+
- Application only
- Up to $500,000 with no tax returns or financial statements
- Credit
- Established businesses from 600+, startups from 700+
- Equipment
- New, used, refurbished, dealer, and private-party purchases
- Speed
- Same-day options on qualified files, with approvals in as little as 30 minutes
- Coverage
- Nationwide and U.S. territories
Send the make, model, and serial number before you negotiate and we will tell you whether that specific system is financeable, at what advance rate, and over what term.
Free consultation, no obligation. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting; rates and terms depend on the complete business and credit profile.
The bottom line
Refurbished imaging equipment is a mainstream purchase, not a compromise, and it is how a great many centers open. Buy on certification and support rather than price: insist on ISO 13485 and ask about IEC 63077, confirm the OEM still supports the platform, get the service contract quoted before you commit, and negotiate the warranty rather than accepting 180 days parts-only. Do that and the 40% to 60% saving is real money. Skip it and you have bought a scanner nobody will service. Send us the make, model, and serial before you commit and we will tell you whether it finances.
Questions about refurbished MRI and CT
How much do you save buying a refurbished MRI or CT?
Certified refurbished imaging equipment typically runs 30% to 70% below new, with 40% to 60% common on MRI and ultrasound and 50% to 75% on PET/CT. A refurbished 1.5T MRI runs roughly $200,000 to $850,000 against $1.05 million to $1.8 million new. Refurbished CT runs $90,000 to $400,000 against $250,000 to $900,000 or more new.
Can refurbished imaging equipment be financed?
Yes, routinely, though specialty equipment and healthcare programs are more comfortable with it than banks. Expect a rate roughly 1 to 3 points above new, a 10% to 15% down payment from a dealer or 10% to 25% on a private-party sale, financing capped at 80% to 90% of appraised value, and a term limited by remaining useful life, often five years rather than seven.
What is the difference between used, refurbished, and remanufactured imaging equipment?
Used equipment is sold as-is without systematic testing or restoration and often without warranty. Refurbished equipment is disassembled, inspected, repaired, tested, and restored to original specification with a warranty and compliance documentation. Remanufactured equipment involves a deeper overhaul, sometimes with upgrades, and can match or exceed original performance. OEM programs such as GE HealthCare’s GoldSeal sit at this end.
What certifications should a refurbished imaging equipment vendor have?
Look for FDA establishment registration, ISO 13485 (the medical-device-specific quality standard, and the most important one), ISO 9001 for general quality management, and IEC 63077, the international good-refurbishment-practice standard for medical imaging equipment specifically. Asking about IEC 63077 by name separates serious refurbishers from resellers.
What warranty comes with refurbished imaging equipment?
A widespread standard is 180 days from installation or invoice, covering defective parts with OEM or equivalent components and typically excluding consumables, peripherals, accessories, and sometimes labor and shipping. On a large system that is thin coverage. Negotiate for 12 months, parts and labor, defined response times, explicit coil and detector coverage, and a first-year service contract quoted alongside.
What should I check before buying a used MRI or CT?
Whether the OEM still supports the software platform, which is the single most important question; whether a service contract is available and at what price; the generation and RF channel count; the X-ray tube history on CT, since a tube is a $30,000 to $60,000 consumable with a three- to six-year life; and the magnet, quench, and helium history on MRI.
Does refurbished imaging equipment qualify for Section 179?
Yes. Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation apply to used property as long as the equipment is new to your business and not acquired from a related party. A refurbished CT or MRI placed in service before December 31 is deductible on the same terms as new, subject to the 2026 cap of $2,560,000 and the taxable income limitation.
Looking at a refurbished system?
Send us the make, model, and serial number and we will tell you what is financeable before you negotiate. Or run the numbers yourself first in the Quote Builder. No credit pull, no obligation.
Related imaging center financing guides
More on financing equipment for a diagnostic imaging center.
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This article is general information about commercial equipment financing and is not a commitment to finance. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting. Rates, terms, and approval depend on the complete business and credit profile. Figures shown are illustrative market ranges gathered from published sources as of August 2026 and are not an offer. Five West Financial is not a tax advisor or an accounting firm; confirm any tax treatment with your CPA before relying on it.