NHS England expands cancer screening capacity with new scanners and AI

NHS England added 125 CT and MRI scanners between March 2024 and March 2026 to help doctors diagnose cancer and other serious conditions faster. This expansion allows the health service to perform approximately one million extra scans every year.

The expansion includes the use of AI powered MRI technology, which helps hospitals see more patients by shortening the time required for each scan. This software requires less data to produce high quality images, allowing clinics to schedule more appointments daily.

The NHS plans to offer every trust in the country the chance to upgrade compatible machines by 2029, a move that could provide up to 162,000 additional checks annually. The government also opened the Manchester and Trafford Community Diagnostic Centre, a 19.2 million pound facility designed to bring tests closer to patients' homes. Most of the new machines have been placed in these community centres, which conducted nearly 2.2 million scans in the year leading up to March 2026.

This increase in capacity has contributed to a reduction in the elective care waiting list by over 250,000 since July 2024. The NHS reported that every month in 2026 so far has set a record for monthly diagnostic activity. These improvements aim to provide patients with earlier diagnoses, which the national clinical director for cancer says can lead to more treatment options and better outcomes.