Published 28 September 2026. Price ranges are Medical Outfitters all-in figures reviewed 16 September 2026; specifications were checked against manufacturer documentation. Written by the Medical Outfitters sales and field engineering team.
A portable X-ray machine costs $12,000 to $35,000 refurbished and $30,000 to $65,000 new for a handheld or portable DR unit, and $40,000 to $90,000 refurbished or $90,000 to $185,000 new for a full-size mobile digital X-ray cart, delivered and warrantied. The class decides the band; the generator, the detector and condition decide where in the band a quote lands.
Portable, handheld and mobile are three different machines that share a name, and most price confusion comes from mixing them up. This guide separates the classes, gives Medical Outfitters ranges for each, names the models in each class, and covers what moves the price, what a quote includes, what it costs to run one, and whether to rent, lease or buy.
- In this guide: Portable X-ray machine cost by class, new and refurbished
- Handheld, portable and mobile: which is which
- The models in each class
- What moves the price
- What a portable X-ray quote includes
- Used and refurbished portable X-ray prices
- What it costs to run a portable X-ray
- Rent, lease or buy
- How to choose for your setting
- Frequently asked questions
How Much Does a Portable X-Ray Machine Cost?
Portable X-ray machine cost is driven by the class of machine, the detector and condition. The figures below are Medical Outfitters ranges for a system delivered and warrantied, with installation and training where the system needs them. Headline prices published elsewhere are often for the equipment alone, before delivery, current tariffs and the detector, so they read lower than a real all-in cost. Every system is quoted individually. Typical price ranges are:
| Class | Refurbished | New |
|---|---|---|
| Portable / handheld DR | $12,000 to $35,000 | $30,000 to $65,000 |
| Compact mobile DR cart | Priced within the mobile band by generator and detector | Priced within the mobile band by generator and detector |
| Full-size mobile X-ray (digital) | $40,000 to $90,000 | $90,000 to $185,000 |
A certified refurbished portable or mobile X-ray typically saves 20 to 60 percent versus new with the same image quality. Browse portable and mobile X-ray machines for sale »
The same question arrives in many forms: portable X-ray machine price, portable X-ray machine cost, portable X-ray equipment cost, mobile X-ray machine cost, mobile X-ray unit price, handheld X-ray machine price, how much does a portable X-ray machine cost, how much does X-ray equipment cost. They all point at the table above. The one distinction that matters is the class, because a unit one person carries and a motorized hospital cart are different purchases, and the second is the detector.
What is the average cost of a portable X-ray machine?
Averages hide the class split. A handheld unit such as the Fujifilm FDR Xair with a wireless panel sits in the $12,000 to $35,000 refurbished band and the $30,000 to $65,000 new band; a full-size mobile cart for a hospital averages in the middle of the $40,000 to $90,000 refurbished band. An average quoted without the class and the detector is not a usable number.
Handheld, Portable and Mobile X-Ray: Which Is Which
Handheld and portable DR
A unit one person carries to the patient, powered by a battery, paired with a wireless flat-panel detector. The Fujifilm FDR Xair weighs about 3.5 kg including its battery and takes up to 100 images on a charge with an FDR D-EVO II detector, which is why home healthcare providers, nursing and long-term care facilities, bedside and ward teams, disaster and field responders and rural clinics buy it. It is not a replacement for a room: the generator output suits extremities, chest and bedside work, not thick-part imaging at volume.
Compact mobile DR
A small battery cart with a wireless panel that fits corridors, elevators and nursing-home rooms a full-size cart cannot: the Fujifilm FDR nano, a 90 kg cart, and the FDR AQRO. Smaller hospitals, nursing facilities and bedside services where a full-size mobile is too large. They price inside the mobile band, toward its lower half, depending on generator and detector.
Full-size mobile X-ray
A motorized cart with a hospital-grade generator, a battery drive, a wireless panel and PACS on board, built to run ICU, emergency and ward imaging all day: the Carestream DRX-Revolution with its 32 kW generator, and the Fujifilm FDR Go family. GE AMX and Optima, Siemens Mobilett and Shimadzu MobileDaRt carts appear on the used market in the same band. The Fujifilm FDR Cross is a hybrid: a mobile C-arm and a portable X-ray in one unit for surgery centers and orthopedic practices.
The Models in Each Class
Model names make the table concrete. The band is the class band; where a specific unit lands depends on its generator, its detector and its condition.
| Model | Class | Condition we sell | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fujifilm FDR Xair | Handheld / portable DR | New | Home health, nursing facilities, bedside, field and rural work |
| Fujifilm FDR AQRO | Compact mobile DR | New | Bedside work where a full-size mobile is too large |
| Fujifilm FDR nano | Compact mobile DR | New | Tight corridors, nursing facilities, smaller hospitals |
| Fujifilm FDR Go | Full-size mobile DR | New or refurbished | Hospital wards, ICU and emergency |
| Carestream DRX-Revolution | Full-size mobile DR | Refurbished or new | ICU, emergency and bedside imaging across a hospital |
| Fujifilm FDR Cross | Hybrid mobile C-arm and portable X-ray | New | Surgery centers and orthopedic practices |
| GE AMX 4, Optima XR200 and XR220 | Full-size mobile | Refurbished or used, sourced on request | Proven hospital carts with deep parts availability |
| Siemens Mobilett Mira, Shimadzu MobileDaRt | Full-size mobile | Refurbished or used, sourced on request | Hospital wards and emergency |
Every unit we list is in the X-ray machine model grid. Going digital on a cart you already own is a detector decision: a wireless panel such as the FDR D-EVO III turns a CR or film cart into a DR unit.
What Moves the Price of a Portable X-Ray Machine
Two carts of the same class can be tens of thousands of dollars apart. These are the things that move a portable X-ray machine cost, roughly in order of impact.
- Generator output Chest and thick-part work at volume needs more kW than extremity work at the bedside; it is the largest driver between carts
- Detector A wireless DR panel is the single most expensive component; a cart quoted without one is a different number
- Drive and battery A motorized drive, battery capacity and how many exposures a charge delivers
- Condition, tube history and warranty New with a manufacturer warranty at the top, certified refurbished with a dealer warranty in the middle, as-is used at the bottom
- Connectivity and software On-board PACS, wireless transfer, dose reporting and image processing
- Accessories Detector cases and holders, a mobile wall stand, a spare battery and the charger
What Is Included in a Portable X-Ray Price?
When you compare quotes, compare the scope as well as the number.
- Quoted with the system The unit or cart, generator and tube, the detector and its workstation or tablet, software as listed, battery and charger, delivery, applications training and the warranty
- Quoted per project A second detector or panel holder, a mobile wall stand, PACS integration, the physicist’s survey and state registration of the unit, and the first service contract
Medical Outfitters prices are all-in for a system delivered and warrantied, with installation and training where the system needs them. If you are replacing a cart rather than adding one, the unit you retire may be worth something against the new one; we buy used imaging equipment.
How Much Does a Used Portable X-Ray Machine Cost?
A used portable X-ray price depends on the detector, the tube and generator condition and the battery before the model name. A refurbished unit from Medical Outfitters, which means inspected, tested to specification and warrantied, runs 20 to 60 percent below the new price of the same class: roughly $12,000 to $35,000 for a handheld or portable and $40,000 to $90,000 for a full-size mobile. As-is used units sit below those bands for buyers with their own service arrangement.
What to check before buying a used portable or mobile X-ray
- Detector: which panel comes with it, its age and drop history, and whether the software license transfers
- Battery: capacity, age and how many exposures a charge delivers on a test
- Tube and generator: exposure count where the system records it, and a test exposure series
- Drive: motorized carts should be driven, not just powered up
- Support status: whether the manufacturer still supports the software and supplies parts
- What is warrantied: a cosmetic refurbishment is covers and paint; a certified refurbishment tests the generator, tube and detector to specification
Refurbished versus OEM certified are not the same thing; the MO Select standard is what the refurbished band describes.
What It Costs to Run a Portable X-Ray Machine
- Service contract Priced per year, with or without the detector; the panel is the fragile component and a dropped panel is the most common large repair on a mobile
- Batteries A consumable on every cart and handheld; plan a replacement cycle
- Calibration and compliance The physicist’s survey, state registration and the quality-control routine
- Charging, storage and a shielding plan A mobile unit still needs a place to live and a radiation safety plan for the areas it is used in
Build the service quote into the purchase decision rather than after it; our service and repair team covers units we sold and units bought elsewhere.
Rent, Lease or Buy a Portable X-Ray
Three routes exist, and the right one depends on how many days a month the unit will work. Renting fits a trial, a cover period or a seasonal need. Leasing spreads a purchase over a term with service included. Buying fits a facility or mobile imaging service that will keep the unit busy.
Mobile imaging services and facilities that scan across several sites often start with a rental and buy once the volume is proven. Tell us the days per month you expect and we will say which route fits and quote it; our mobile imaging page covers the service, and a quote takes a day.
How to Choose a Portable X-Ray for Your Setting
Match the class to the setting:
- Home health, nursing and long-term care: a handheld or portable DR unit, $12,000 to $35,000 refurbished, carried to the patient
- Smaller hospital or bedside service in tight buildings: a compact mobile cart such as the FDR nano
- Hospital ICU, emergency and wards: a full-size mobile, $40,000 to $90,000 refurbished, with the generator for chest work at volume
- Surgery center or orthopedic practice: a hybrid such as the FDR Cross, or a C-arm; see the C-arm cost guide
- Clinic that needs a room, not a cart: a fixed DR room, covered in the X-ray machine cost guide
An X-ray exam is reimbursed the same whichever machine takes it: according to CoveredUSA’s May 2026 national pricing guide Medicare pays about $33 for a plain film in a non-facility setting, which is why bedside and mobile services are run on volume and travel efficiency. Pricing a room or a C-arm as well? See the X-ray machine cost guide, the C-arm machine cost guide and our guide to what size room an X-ray machine needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does a portable X-ray machine cost?
- A portable or handheld DR unit such as the Fujifilm FDR Xair costs $12,000 to $35,000 refurbished and $30,000 to $65,000 new, delivered and warrantied. A full-size mobile cart for hospital wards is a separate class at $40,000 to $90,000 refurbished or $90,000 to $185,000 new.
- What is the price of a mobile X-ray machine?
- A full-size mobile digital X-ray such as the Carestream DRX-Revolution or Fujifilm FDR Go costs $40,000 to $90,000 refurbished and $90,000 to $185,000 new. A compact cart such as the Fujifilm FDR nano prices inside the same band, toward its lower half, by generator and detector.
- How much does a handheld X-ray machine cost?
- A handheld DR unit with a wireless panel, such as the Fujifilm FDR Xair at about 3.5 kg, costs $30,000 to $65,000 new and $12,000 to $35,000 refurbished, delivered and warrantied.
- What is the difference between portable and mobile X-ray?
- A portable or handheld unit is carried by one person to the patient and runs on a battery with a wireless panel; a mobile X-ray is a motorized cart with a hospital-grade generator that moves between wards. They are different classes with different price bands.
- How much does X-ray equipment cost?
- By class: a portable or handheld unit $12,000 to $65,000, a mobile cart $40,000 to $185,000 and a fixed DR room $60,000 to $275,000, depending on condition. The detector is the largest single component in every class.
- How much does a Carestream DRX-Revolution cost?
- The DRX-Revolution is a full-size mobile digital X-ray and prices in the mobile band: $40,000 to $90,000 refurbished or $90,000 to $185,000 new, delivered and warrantied, depending on the generator, the detector and condition.
- How much does a Fujifilm FDR Xair cost?
- The FDR Xair handheld prices in the portable band: $30,000 to $65,000 new, delivered and warrantied with its FDR D-EVO II detector; refurbished units, when available, sit in the $12,000 to $35,000 band.
- How much does a GE portable X-ray machine cost?
- GE AMX and Optima XR200 and XR220 carts are full-size mobiles sourced refurbished or used on request and price in the mobile band, $40,000 to $90,000 refurbished, by generator, detector and condition.
- How much does a used portable X-ray machine cost?
- A certified refurbished handheld or portable unit runs $12,000 to $35,000 and a refurbished full-size mobile $40,000 to $90,000, delivered and warrantied; as-is used units sit below those bands. Check the detector, the battery, the tube and generator and the software support status before you buy.
- Is a refurbished portable X-ray worth it?
- Yes, when the generator, tube and detector were tested to specification and the unit carries a warranty. Refurbished saves 20 to 60 percent versus new with the same image quality; a cosmetic refurbishment that only replaces covers is a used unit at a refurbished price.
- Can I rent a portable X-ray machine?
- Yes. Renting fits a trial, a cover period or a seasonal need, leasing spreads a purchase over a term with service included, and buying fits a facility or mobile service that keeps the unit busy. Tell us the days per month you expect and we will quote the route that fits.
- Does a portable X-ray need a shielded room?
- No fixed room, but it still needs a radiation safety plan: state registration of the unit, a physicist’s survey, operator training and a plan for the areas it is used in. Fixed rooms need lead shielding designed to NCRP Report 147; our room guide covers that.
- What does a portable X-ray quote include?
- With the system: the unit or cart, generator and tube, the detector and its workstation or tablet, software, battery and charger, delivery, applications training and the warranty. Per project: extra detectors or holders, a mobile wall stand, PACS integration, the physicist’s survey, state registration and the first service contract.
- How long does a portable X-ray machine last?
- Plan on a ten-year budget for a cart; the battery is the consumable, the detector is the fragile component and the tube is the wear item. Whether the manufacturer still supports the software matters more than the year of manufacture.
- Who buys portable X-ray machines?
- Home healthcare providers, mobile imaging services, nursing and long-term care facilities, hospital ICU and emergency departments, urgent care and orthopedic practices, disaster and field responders, and rural clinics whose patients cannot come to a radiology department.
Medical Outfitters sells new Fujifilm and Esaote systems as an authorized dealer and certified refurbished GE and Siemens systems through MO Select, with delivery and installation included in every quote. Browse X-ray machines for sale, browse CT scanners for sale and browse used and refurbished MRI machines for sale; every listing shows the model, year basis, condition and availability with a quote form.
From a handheld unit for home health to a full-size mobile for the ICU, Medical Outfitters helps you spec, buy, lease or rent the right system, new or certified refurbished. Serving the US, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean.
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