The MRI Centre is accessible to all academic and clinical researchers, and is maintained in large part by the hourly fees which those research users pay. The grant-funded user fee is currently the same on both MRI systems at $600 per hour for scanner usage. These hourly fees are in line with other MRI research facilities across Canada. Scan time should include patient preparation, data back-up and clean-up of the scan room. Scan time for the optimization of MRI protocol parameters should be requested in grant application as well. The absolute minimum scan time that can be booked or billed is 30 minutes.

Note that the scan time fee also includes the use of a certified MRI technologist for the Siemens 3T Prisma and a Radiology research nurse on all MRI systems, if they are required for the study. These personnel are available during the day Monday-Friday. Effective September 1, 2019, there is a new $50/scan surcharge for the nurse. Additional technical personnel are required to run the 4.7T MRI. A Bracco Expression MRI compatible patient monitor for non-invasive blood pressure, ECG, and pulse oximetry (3T only), Medrad and Nonin pulse oximeters (4.7T only), and functional MRI hardware are available at no extra charge. The costs of contrast agent are extra.

The user fee provides coverage for salaries for the MRI engineer and support staff, all self maintenance of the 4.7T MRI systems (e.g. cold head, electronic parts, helium fills, software updates, etc), and vendor service contract for the Siemens 3T Prisma. The user fees do not include any MR image or spectral analysis.