Published 28 September 2026. Product facts were checked against GE HealthCare documentation on 28 September 2026. Written by the Medical Outfitters sales and field engineering team.
A refurbished GE Optima MR450w costs $600,000 to $900,000 in 2026, delivered, installed and warrantied. It is GE’s 70 cm 1.5T: 32 receive channels, 44 mT/m gradients at 200 T/m/s and, on GEM systems, the Geometry Embracing Method coils built into the table. It is the GE answer to the Siemens Aera, and it prices in the middle of the 1.5T band in our MRI cost guide.
This guide covers what the MR450w is, the GEM and standard configurations, our 2026 range, what moves an MR450w quote, what to check before you buy, who it suits against the Signa HDxt, the Siemens Aera and the Discovery MR750w, and how to buy one through MO Select. Specifications are GE’s published figures, checked 28 September 2026.
What Is the GE Optima MR450w?
The GE Optima MR450w is a 1.5 Tesla wide bore MRI scanner introduced in 2010 as the successor to the 60 cm Signa HDxt. It has a 70 cm bore, a 48 cm field of view, 32 receive channels and gradients of 44 mT/m at 200 T/m/s, which put it ahead of the HDxt on speed as well as on bore size.
The configuration that matters is GEM. The Optima MR450w GEM (Geometry Embracing Method) builds a posterior array into the table and pairs it with lightweight anterior array coils that conform to the patient, so most exams run without repositioning coils and large patients are covered edge to edge. Standard MR450w systems use conventional coils. GE software releases circulate as DV versions; later releases carry more sequences and support more coils.
GE followed the MR450w with the Signa Voyager and Signa Artist, so the MR450w is now a refurbished purchase with a strong parts market and an ecosystem of coils, applications and engineers shared with the rest of the GE fleet.
| Specification | Optima MR450w |
|---|---|
| Field strength | 1.5 Tesla |
| Bore | 70 cm |
| Field of view | 48 cm |
| Receive channels | 32 |
| Gradients | 44 mT/m at 200 T/m/s |
| Coil options | Standard coils, or GEM suite with the posterior array in the table |
| Software | GE DV releases |
| Successors | Signa Voyager, Signa Artist |
Source: GE HealthCare Optima MR450w product data, checked 28 September 2026. Configuration on a specific unit is confirmed from its system data before we quote.
Optima MR450w Configurations
GEM or standard, then the software release and the coil list, is how the used market describes an MR450w.
| Configuration | What it is | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Optima MR450w, standard | Conventional coil set on the 32 channel platform | Routine outpatient and hospital imaging |
| Optima MR450w GEM | GEM suite: posterior array in the table, anterior array coils | High throughput, large patients, whole-body studies |
| Software release | Earlier DV releases through later DV releases | Later releases add sequences and coil support |
| Coil set | Head, neurovascular, spine, body, cardiac and extremity coils, each a line | The coil list decides the day-one case mix |
| Applications | Licensed packages: cardiac, body, neuro, MR angiography | Confirmed per unit |
GEM is decided at build. Software, coils and licences are confirmed per unit before we quote.
How Much Does a GE Optima MR450w Cost?
The ranges below are Medical Outfitters ranges for a refurbished Optima MR450w delivered, installed and warrantied, positioned in the 1.5T band of our MRI cost guide. Headline prices published elsewhere are often for the equipment alone, before de-installation, rigging, installation and current tariffs.
| Configuration | Medical Outfitters range, 2026 | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Optima MR450w, standard coils, earlier DV software | $600,000 to $775,000 | Base coil set |
| Optima MR450w GEM, expanded coils, later DV software | $700,000 to $900,000 | GEM suite, full coil set, documented service |
| New 70 cm 1.5T MRI through GE (not sold by Medical Outfitters) | $1,200,000 to $2,000,000 | The new 1.5T band from our MRI guide, for comparison |
| New 1.5T MRI sold by Medical Outfitters (Fujifilm ECHELON Smart 1.5T, authorized dealer) | $1,200,000 to $2,000,000 | Our new 1.5T alternative, quoted with delivery and installation |
How Medical Outfitters sells the Optima MR450w. Refurbished, through MO Select, our in-house refurbishment program: each unit is tested against the GE specification, delivered, installed by our own rigging and engineering team and covered by a written warranty. We do not sell GE systems new; the new figures in the table are for comparison. New systems we sell as an authorized dealer are the Fujifilm ECHELON Smart 1.5T and ECHELON Smart ZeroHelium 1.5T, the OASIS Velocity 1.2T, APERTO Lucent 0.4T and AIRIS Vento 0.3T open systems, and the Esaote G-scan, S-scan and O-scan extremity and weight-bearing systems. Current availability is on the product page. Availability of any specific model, year or configuration is subject to supply at the time of your request, and every purchase is governed by the written quote and sales agreement.
The same question arrives in many forms: GE Optima MR450w price, Optima MR450w cost, GE MR450w for sale, used Optima MR450w price, how much does a Optima MR450w cost. They all resolve to the table above. Tell us the configuration and the room and the quote writes itself. Request a Optima MR450w quote »
What Moves the Price of a Optima MR450w
Two quotes for the same Optima MR450w can differ by a whole configuration. These are the lines that move the price, roughly in order of impact.
- GEM or standard GEM systems carry the premium
- Software release Later DV releases raise the price
- Coil set Each coil is a line; GEM anterior arrays are the expensive ones
- Helium and cold head history Documented service is worth paying for
- Siting Reusing the RF room, chiller and power keeps the installed price down
- Warranty Our range includes the MO Select warranty
What to Check Before You Buy a Used Optima MR450w
A used Optima MR450w is bought on its records. These are the checks our engineers run and the questions to put to any seller before you sign.
- GEM or standard: Confirm from the table and the coil list, not from the listing. A GEM table with a missing anterior array is not a GEM system in practice.
- Software release and licences: Get the DV release and the licensed applications in writing.
- Coil complement: List and test every coil; the posterior array in a GEM table must be tested too.
- Helium level and cold head: Ask for the helium log and the cold head service history.
- Gradient coil and amplifiers: 44 mT/m gradients work hard; ask for any gradient fault history and what has been replaced.
- Table: Check travel, the weight rating and, on GEM systems, the posterior array connection.
- Room and power: A 70 cm 1.5T reuses most 1.5T rooms after a survey of the RF shielding, chiller and power supply.
Who the Optima MR450w Suits, and the Alternatives
The MR450w suits imaging centres that want wide-bore access at 1.5T inside the GE ecosystem.
- Outpatient centres replacing an HDxt or older GE system and keeping their coils and training
- Sites with bariatric and claustrophobic patient populations
- High-throughput centres, where the GEM suite cuts coil changes
- Hospitals standardising on GE service and applications
Alternatives to the Optima MR450w
| Model | Why you would choose it instead |
|---|---|
| GE Signa HDxt | The 60 cm predecessor, for less, where bore size is not the issue |
| Siemens MAGNETOM Aera | The Siemens 70 cm 1.5T with Tim 4G and Dot |
| GE Discovery MR750w | The 3T sibling with the same 70 cm bore |
| Philips Ingenia 1.5T | Philips’ 70 cm digital 1.5T |
How to Buy a Optima MR450w
- Send the room, the power supply and the case mix. Room dimensions, the existing RF shielding and chiller, the electrical supply and the exams you run decide the configuration before the model does.
- Choose the configuration. Field strength, channel count, gradients, coil list and software level, matched to the case mix rather than to the largest set.
- Get the configuration in writing. Every coil by name, the software release, the licensed applications, the helium and cold head history and the warranty term, so quotes compare line by line.
- Survey the site. RF room, fringe field, chiller capacity, power and rigging route, before the magnet is bought.
- Schedule the de-installation and rigging. Ramp-down, transport and installation are in our price; the schedule is agreed with your facilities team.
- Agree the warranty and service term. The MO Select warranty is written; a service contract for the years after it is quoted alongside.
- Applications training and go-live. Protocol set-up and technologist training on site.
We quote within one business day and deliver, install, train and support across the United States, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean through an ISO 13485:2016 certified quality system. Request a Optima MR450w quote » Current availability is on the MO Select Optima MR450w product page.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does a GE Optima MR450w cost?
- A refurbished Optima MR450w costs $600,000 to $900,000 in 2026 delivered, installed and warrantied: $600,000 to $775,000 for a standard system on earlier software and $700,000 to $900,000 for a GEM system with an expanded coil set and later software. New 70 cm 1.5T systems run $1,200,000 to $2,000,000.
- What is the difference between the MR450w and the MR750w?
- Field strength. The MR450w is the 1.5T wide bore and the Discovery MR750w is the 3T wide bore. The choice follows case mix and budget: the MR750w costs roughly twice as much and gives more signal for neuro and musculoskeletal work.
- What is the difference between the MR450w and the Siemens Aera?
- Both are 70 cm 1.5T systems of the same generation. The MR450w has 32 channels, 44 mT/m gradients and the GEM coil suite; the Aera has 48 Tim 4G channels, XJ or XQ gradients and the Dot workflow. Most buyers choose by the ecosystem they already run.
- What does GEM mean?
- Geometry Embracing Method: GE’s coil suite with a posterior array built into the table and flexible anterior arrays that conform to the patient, so exams run with fewer coil changes and large patients are covered edge to edge.
- Is the Optima MR450w still supported?
- Yes. GE supports the installed base, the coils and applications are shared with the wider GE fleet, and the independent parts market is deep. Confirm the support position for the DV release on the unit you are buying.
- What room does an MR450w need?
- A 70 cm 1.5T fits most existing 1.5T rooms. The RF shielded room, chiller and power supply are surveyed and usually reused; our MRI cost guide covers siting.
- Does Medical Outfitters sell the GE Optima MR450w?
- Yes. We supply the Optima MR450w refurbished through MO Select, fully tested against the manufacturer specification, delivered, installed by our own rigging and engineering team and covered by a written warranty, across the United States, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The product page carries the quote form.
Medical Outfitters sells new Fujifilm, Esaote and Mammotome systems as an authorized dealer and certified refurbished GE and Siemens systems through MO Select, with delivery and installation included in every quote. Browse MRI machines for sale, browse CT scanners for sale and browse X-ray machines for sale; every listing shows the model, condition and availability with a quote form.
Tell us the configuration, the room and the case mix. Medical Outfitters returns the Optima MR450w delivered, installed and warrantied as one written quote. Serving the US, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean.
Request Optima MR450w Pricing
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