MRI machines don’t work without chillers. If you work in a clinic or hospital where imaging machines are used, you know how important it is that you have working MRI chillers to ensure the MRIs are working properly. At some point that chiller you’ve been relying on will need to be replaced, but buying a new one is expensive. If you’ve been using your chiller for several years, here are a few signs it might be time to get a new MRI chiller for your office.
1. No Reliable Mechanical Contractor
As with other pieces of complex equipment, MRI chillers need to be serviced on a regular basis. If your office has a contractor you can rely on to provide scheduled service, then you can trust that your chiller and corresponding MRI machine will be able to work as well as they can for as long as possible. If you have such a contractor — and you think it might be time to get a new MRI chiller — ask them for their opinion. They’ll know better than anyone if it’s time to move on. If you don’t have a contractor you can count on — or if your chiller is so old, you’re having trouble finding someone who can service it — then it might be time to get a new chiller and contractor at the same time.
2. The Cost of Helium
One of the most important elements of an MRI chiller is the cost of helium. Liquid helium is the coolant that a chiller needs to perform its duties. If the chiller isn’t working, you can lose up to $1,000 per day in unused helium. Add that to the cost of lost revenue from the inactive imaging machine, and you can appreciate why it’s important that you replace a faulty MRI chiller as quickly as possible.
3. The Cost of Repair
A new chiller may be expensive, but an old chiller that breaks down a lot can be even worse. Replacement parts, in particular, will only get more expensive as an MRI chiller ages. With many chillers made overseas, replacement parts aren’t only costly, but they can take days to arrive, costing you even more money. When the expense of repairing a machine gets to be too much, it’s probably time to get it replaced.
Even if your current chiller is working properly, new MRI chillers are being made that are far more efficient than past models, so you can save money and get better performance by updating your office with a brand new MRI chiller.
