Hundreds are too fat to have MRI scans

Patients are becoming too fat to fit inside MRI machines, it has emerged, as one health board revealed it was forced to cancel more than 200 scans.

Rising obesity levels has forced hospitals to cancel hundreds of scans and refer patients with waistlines of more than 68in to other hospitals amid fears they could become stuck.

Health chiefs have warned patients could be putting their lives at risk if they cannot get a scan to spot lifethreatening illnesses.

In some cases, obese patients have been referred to the nearest “open MRI” scanner, which can accommodate those weighing up to 47st. Standard MRI scanners have a 25st weight limit.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board admitted it had cancelled more than 200 scans over the past four years due to patient obesity and it has now brought in a mobile scanner to tackle the problem. Richard Evans, of the Society of Radiographers, said: “There are a lot of reasons not to become overweight and one might be that you need a scan that you cannot have.”