ECMC Plans $4.2 Million MRI Suite Expansion

Erie County Medical Center is renovating a first-floor space to add a second MRI scanner and shorten long outpatient wait times.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Home Renovation

ECMC Plans $4.2 Million MRI Suite Expansion

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Do you think getting medical scans in your area is getting easier or harder?

Erie County Medical Center plans a $4.2 million project to create a 2,150-square-foot MRI suite by renovating an existing first-floor space. The suite will house a new helium-free 1.5T Siemens MAGNETOM Flow.Neo system alongside the hospital's current 3 Tesla scanner.

Why it matters

ECMC currently has one MRI scanner serving inpatient, outpatient and emergency departments, leading to outpatient waits close to three weeks. Emergency MRI needs can also force rescheduling of booked outpatient appointments, so a second scanner is intended to ease that pressure for Buffalo patients.

The planned suite covers 2,150 square feet and pairs a 1.5T helium-free Siemens system with the existing 3 Tesla scanner. The project is still under state review and design, with bidding anticipated in early 2027.

The players

Erie County Medical Center

A public hospital in Buffalo that serves as the region's safety-net provider and is undertaking the MRI expansion.

Andrew Davis

The incoming president and CEO of Erie County Medical Center, appointed by the hospital's board and taking office June 15.

The details

The MRI suite will be housed in the existing first-floor radiology department, with the current 3 Tesla scanner remaining in service. ECMC expects construction to follow the bidding process in spring and summer, with the suite on pace to open by late 2027 or early 2028.

2025: ECMC performed 5,567 MRI exams.
March 16: ECMC's board voted unanimously to appoint Andrew Davis as president and CEO.
June 15: Andrew Davis becomes CEO.
Early 2027: The project is expected to be bid out.
Late 2027 or early 2028: The new MRI suite is expected to open.

Home Renovation Context

Like the Siemens MAGNETOM Flow.Neo helium-free design, the ECMC project favors compact, low-maintenance equipment that fits within an existing building footprint. The renovation repurposes a first-floor space rather than requiring new construction.

Buffalo patients who need outpatient MRI scans may see shorter waits once the second scanner opens. Emergency-driven rescheduling of outpatient appointments is expected to decline as the hospital gains capacity.

The takeaway

Adding capacity to a single shared imaging resource can reduce both outpatient delays and disruptions caused by emergency demand. Readers tracking local hospital services can watch for the state review outcome and the 2027 bidding announcement.

What happens next

The project is expected to be bid out in early 2027, with construction to follow in spring and summer and the suite expected to open in late 2027 or early 2028.