VCU Health Secured Approval for Carytown Imaging Center

The project will bring new CT scanning services to Richmond by repurposing existing space within a Patient First building.

Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Healthcare

Isometric editorial illustration featuring a geometric, abstract medical imaging gantry in a clean, minimalist clinic hallway. — VCU Health received regulatory approval to establish a new CT imaging center in Richmond, aimed at addressing regional diagnostic capacity shortages. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe having more specialized diagnostic imaging centers in your neighborhood improves local health care?

VCU Health received regulatory approval in August 2026 to open a new CT imaging center at 12 N. Thompson St. in Richmond. The $3 million project aims to address the regional shortage of advanced imaging services.

Why it matters

This expansion addresses a critical regional deficiency in CT scanning capacity to meet growing healthcare demand in Richmond. It represents a strategic effort to integrate specialized diagnostics into existing community footprints.

The new Carytown facility will lease 2,200 square feet of space within a 10,000-square-foot building. The project is backed by a $3 million investment to improve local imaging capacity.

The players

VCU Health

This is a Richmond-based academic health system that operates hospitals and clinics providing specialized medical care.

Cameron Webb

He serves as the Virginia State Health Commissioner and oversees the state regulatory approval process for healthcare facilities.

Patient First

This organization operates a network of urgent care centers and medical facilities across the Mid-Atlantic region.

HCA

This is a major healthcare provider that manages a large network of hospitals and freestanding emergency facilities.

Bon Secours

This is a non-profit Catholic health system that operates several medical centers throughout the Richmond metropolitan area.

The details

VCU Health will utilize Virginia's Certificate of Public Need program to establish the site inside a Patient First property. In addition to this imaging expansion, the health system recently celebrated the topping-out of its $90 million, 100,000-square-foot Pauley Heart Center Pavilion.

State Health Commissioner Cameron Webb approved the project in August 2026.
HCA opened two new freestanding emergency rooms in the region during summer 2026.
VCU Health held a topping-out ceremony for its heart pavilion in September 2026.
Bon Secours acquired a 20-acre site in Chesterfield in September 2026.
The imaging facility and heart pavilion are both slated for completion in 2028.

Market Landscape

The development follows Virginia's Certificate of Public Need program, which regulates market saturation in healthcare. This move highlights a broader trend of major health systems aggressively expanding diagnostic capacity to capture regional market share.

Local residents will gain access to improved diagnostic imaging services in the Carytown area upon the project's completion. The expansion is designed to reduce wait times for CT scans and increase the availability of specialized medical testing.

The takeaway

Healthcare providers are increasingly repurposing existing commercial space to expand service capacity in dense urban areas. Patients should monitor new facility announcements as systems like VCU Health, HCA, and Bon Secours compete to consolidate regional market share.