I dislike people using the word “cost” when they really mean “price”. The cost of a cup of coffee is 10 cents but the price is $3.95.
I can go to my local clinic in Honduras, with no referral or appointment for an MRI, and walk out in less than an hour with the results in hand for a whopping $50.
So what is the “cost” of an MRI?
EC
It's the capital cost of buying an MRI system. It's the cost of ongoing upkeep and service contracts. It's the cost of whatever facilities upgrades etc. that were required to allow the MRI to be installed. It's the cost of the technicians running the MRI. It's the cost of the radiologist reading the MRI. In the US it's also the cost of product liability insurance, the cost of facility liability insurance, and the cost of malpractice insurance. etc. By the way, $50 buys a lot more in Honduras, not just MRIs.