Nova Scotia Health marked a major milestone on the South Shore this morning as the first magnetic resonance imaging unit for the region was officially lowered into place at South Shore Regional Hospital.
A crane carefully lowered the nearly 4,000-kilogram MRI magnet into the hospital’s new imaging suite, paving the way for the South Shore’s first-ever MRI service.
Once operational, the unit is expected to scan more than 5,000 patients a year.
Steven Rombeek, manager of diagnostic imaging and cardiac investigation units for the South Shore, said the moment was a long time coming for both staff and patients.
“It’s so exciting for us — just the extra access that this community is going to have to MRI imaging technology and the extra access for all of Nova Scotia Health is such a big event,” Rombeek said. “It means a lot to our staff. It means a lot to our physicians and our community.”
With the magnet now in place, crews will finish construction inside the suite before final installation and calibration of the machine. Rombeek says MRI services are expected to begin in the winter of 2026.
“What’s next is completing the construction in the suite itself, then installing the magnet and moving toward opening MRI services next winter,” he said.
One unique feature of the new MRI room is a large window — something not often seen in imaging suites. Ronbeek says it will improve the patient experience, especially for those who experience claustrophobia.
“If we can have some daylight entering that area, it makes a big difference for our patients, and it also makes a difference for our staff,” he said.
The new MRI is also expected to help with recruitment and retention of highly trained imaging technologists.
“New technology is always exciting for staff in the field. A new magnet is always a little nicer to work on,” Ronbeek added.
Fundraising for the MRI was led by the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore through its Brighter Days capital campaign. CEO Arleen Stevens said seeing the magnet arrive was an emotional moment for the community.
“The community has been talking about and wanting an MRI for well over a decade,” Stevens said. “To finally see the magnet lowered into place this morning is really emotional.”
Stevens says a key contribution came from the Queens General Hospital Foundation, which provided a $725,000 donation toward the MRI.
“That donation allowed us to provide this MRI magnet that you see today,” she said.
Once the unit becomes operational, the South Shore will no longer need to rely solely on hospitals outside the region for MRI scans — a change expected to significantly reduce travel and wait times for local patients.
