NHS England data published today shows that, from March 2024 to March 2026, the number of CT and MRI scanners in the NHS increased by 125.

Minister of state for health Karin Smyth said: ‘Getting the right diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible can make all the difference, particularly for patients with cancer and other serious conditions.

‘That's why, in the face of record demand, we are expanding NHS capacity and using new technology to help more people get the tests and care they need.'

The expansion comes as each month in 2026 has set an NHS monthly record for diagnostic activity, with the diagnostic waiting list having fallen in three of the five months since April.

In addition, cancer waiting times are better than last year and the overall waiting list for elective care is down by over 250,000 since July 2024.

Alongside the expansion in scanning capacity, AI-powered MRI technology is being introduced, helping services carry out on average 14% more scans.

The new £19.2m Manchester and Trafford community diagnostic centre (CDC), which officially opened on Thursday 29 October, will further expand access to vital tests and scans.

Most of the new machines added since March 2024 (107 of 125) have gone into CDCs, which carried out nearly 2.2m CT and MRI scans in the 12 months up to March 2026 — an extra million compared to the 12 months up to March 2024.

Every NHS trust in the country will be given the opportunity to upgrade compatible MRI scanners by 2029. A full roll out would enable existing equipment to deliver up to 162,000 more checks per year.