How Hospitals and Imaging Centers Dispose of Old Imaging Equipment

When imaging equipment reaches the end of its use at a facility, there are three common paths — and they don't recover value equally. Here's how they compare.

The three paths

• OEM trade-in. Convenient and bundled into your next purchase, but the credit often undervalues a machine that still has resale life.
• Scrap. Fast, but you pay to haul off assets that had real resale value — the most expensive "easy" option.
• Resale. Sell to a broker who buys and removes it, frequently netting the most, with the removal handled for you.

Why trade-in credit is often low

An OEM's trade-in credit is a lever to close a new sale, not a market valuation. It's convenient, but comparing it to a broker's cash appraisal almost always reveals a gap.

Get a number before you decide

Before you trade in or scrap anything, get a quick appraisal — even a short call can reveal value you'd otherwise give away. Non-working systems sometimes have parts or salvage worth, too.