Scheduling and Billing

The Imaging Research Center bills $666 per hour of MRI scan time. Scan time is verified by consolidating information on the IRC Calendar with information recorded on MRI Session forms. Scanner operators should always fill out an MRI Session Form (available at the scanner site) for every MRI scan session, indicating both scheduled and actual times the scanner was used. This will help us determine whether a user exceeded their scheduled time. The operator is also encouraged to note any extenuating circumstances.

An image of our MRI Session Form

We charge for overruns of the scheduled time slot. If an investigator is unable to start their scan on time due to a previous overrun, this would be considered an exception. Overruns will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

The IRC does not charge for cancellations/no shows. To avoid being inadvertently billed, the investigator is required to remove their canceled slot from the IRC Calendar.

• Note on subject aborts: If a subject aborts the scan session and no useful data is acquired, please treat this as a cancellation. If some useful data was acquired, please update the time slot's end time in the IRC Calendar to reflect the time the subject left. Don't update the time slot begin time.

Scans may be scheduled by using the IRC Calendar.

• A specific subject must be identified a week in advance for each scheduled scan. On the IRC calendar, this should be reflected by the subject's initials along with some kind of study-specific subject ID.
• Investigators are encouraged to schedule scans back-to-back with previously scheduled scans. This will help minimize unusable gaps in the schedule.

If an investigator isn't able to complete a scan due to technical problems, they should promptly notify Scott Martin and remove the scheduled time slot from the IRC Calendar. The appropriate IRC technical staff member will then follow up on the request to determine whether or not the investigator should receive a refund.

When you schedule an MRI scan on the IRC Calendar, you are responsible to show up with your subject at the scheduled begin-time and leave with your subject before the scheduled end-time.  Sometimes you will run late (for example, when your participant arrives late, there are technical malfunctions, the participant is anxious about scanning, or you are delayed for some other reason).  If another lab is scheduled to use the scanner right after you, our policy is that you need to leave the scanner room on time, whether or not you have finished scanning.  The only exception is that the next lab may grant you permission to continue scanning; they are never obligated to do so.

Conversely, if you are scheduled to scan and the previous lab is still occupying the scanner room, please exercise professional courtesy.  Knock on the door and ask permission before entering when the "Do not enter.  Scan in progress" sign is posted on the door.  This helps protect the privacy of the other lab's research subject.