$9M Saved, Zero Corners Cut:
The Shipping Container MRI Lab That Changed the Game

Conexwest transformed recycled shipping containers into a state-of-the-art MRI lab that saved a hospital $9 million. Here’s how we did it with structural precision, safety compliance, and a whole lot of creative engineering.

Shipping containers have proven themselves useful far beyond their original purpose. They’ve been turned into homes for the unhoused, shelters in disaster zones, and pop-up kitchens feeding crowds at festivals around the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they were transformed into mobile labs offering not just convenience, but a crucial layer of safety when it mattered most.

Today, modified containers are being adopted by businesses across the country as sustainable, flexible, and surprisingly sophisticated spaces.

At Conexwest, we’re doing our part to stay ahead constantly exploring new ways modified containers can be used for nearly any purpose. We’ve taken the basic function and structure and pushed them into creative territory, transforming containers into everything from branded installations to interactive spaces.

We want to show you one of the most unique projects we’ve ever been commissioned to build a custom MRI laboratory unlike any other. By building the lab outside the hospital itself, we helped save the facility an estimated $9 million in renovation costs. The project was completed and installed in 2024.

Building a project of this scale offers a smart, scalable solution for hospitals needing to expand quickly. Whether it’s additional lab space, testing facilities, or temporary services, using modified shipping containers makes it possible without months of construction. These units are mobile, quick to assemble, and can be placed directly in a parking lot or open space, with minimal disruption to daily operations.

So, How Do We Make the Magic Happen?

Pulling off a modification project of this scale takes more than just metal and tools; it takes planning, precision, and a whole lot of coordination. At Conexwest, we come prepared. Whether it's a highly technical build or an idea that sounds impossible on paper, we're ready to bring it to life.

Exterior / Conjoined Containers

For this specific project we started with our popular conjoined container product and ran with it from there: what this means:

For this specific project, we started with our popular conjoined container product and ran with it from there. What this means:

We removed the sidewalls where the containers meet, reinforced the openings with structural steel headers and columns, and added a surface-mount header. That last part connects the units and helps shed water keeping everything sealed and secure.

Roof Extension

For this project, we removed the original roof of the container and added a custom 3’ extension. To accommodate the needs of the MRI lab, we cut the original container roofs and extended them using structural steel and container sidewall material to maintain integrity and height.

To ensure the roof was fully insulated and weatherproof, we installed a TPO roofing system, a popular choice for medical and commercial structures. Cement boards were first laid as the base underlayment and shaped to create a proper slope. On top of that, we added foam panels that followed the slope, and finally stretched the TPO membrane over the top, securing it tightly to the container’s edges. This system helps shed water, protects against leaks, and supports temperature control inside the unit.

Fire Suppression

We designed and installed a full fire suppression system tailored specifically for this setup built from the ground up to meet all safety requirements.

Mag Steel Lining

The interior walls were lined with silicon steel to prevent any magnetic interference from escaping the structure. Behind the drywall, we added RF shielding, a thin layer of copper foil that’s applied directly to the wood studs we use in our interior builds. It works as an extra protective barrier.

These structural builds gave us the foundation to design both the exterior and interior of the MRI laboratory. Once the shell was in place, it was time to equip the space with everything needed to safely and properly install an MRI unit.

Interior Safety – Design Standards 

Safety Comes First, Thanks, OSHPD!

For this kind of medical-grade container build, we had to follow OSHPD (Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development) regulations, basically the safety boss for all hospital structures in California. Every detail had to be checked out.

Think earthquake-safe walls, ADA-compliant doorways wide enough to roll in hospital beds, and interior systems (lighting, electrical, plumbing) that had to run flawlessly, just like in a regular hospital building. Nothing could be “close enough” - it has to perfectly comply with all the guidelines for safety reasons.

We’re talking hospital-grade electrical outlets that handle sensitive equipment, waveguides (special metal tubes that allow electromagnetic signals to pass through without messing up the shielding), and silicon steel-lined walls using a copper foil-like RF barrier — a material that blocks magnetic fields from leaking out of the MRI room, which is crucial for both safety and image accuracy. It also prevents the magnetic waves from exiting the container and does not interfere with nearby pacemakers.

Everything inside had to not only function but function like it’s in a hospital. Because technically, it is. A portable hospital inside a shipping container. 

T-Bar Ceilings

Think of a T-Bar ceiling like a giant ceiling puzzle: metal grids form the “T” shape, and lightweight tiles drop into each square like oversized puzzle pieces. They are fast to install and easy and if anything goes out of work you can just lift a tile like a secret trap door and easily fix it. This makes them super functional. 

These T-bar ceilings are quite popular in offices, schools, physical hospitals and we are now capable of installing them inside a shipping container too. 

Wire Trays

We laid out the wire trays strategically so all the electrical wiring could run cleanly from point A to point B without tangling, crossing, or overlapping. It took coordination and planning to make sure each tray was the right size, in the right spot, and had enough support to safely hold everything in place.

Centrifugal Exhaust System 

A centrifugal exhaust system is basically a high-powered spinning fan that keeps the air in the hospital running smooth and clean. This is what makes those unpleasant hospital scents like the over-sanitized smell fade. It also plays a key role in removing contaminated air and maintaining proper airflow, which helps reduce the risk of airborne pathogens. And in an MRI lab, it’s non-negotiable because aside from the above reasons, it also helps regulate temperature and humidity to protect the sensitive equipment.

Side Access Hatch

We custom-built a side access hatch specifically designed to bring the MRI equipment into the container structure. To do this, we reinforced the side wall and installed multiple heavy-duty container hinges to support the weight of the door which, by the way, is not light. It was layered with 5–6 sheets of silicon steel, plus insulation and drywall. Despite the weight and complexity, the hatch was engineered to close securely while still maintaining the container’s demagnetized properties and keeping the RF shielding fully intact.

At Conexwest, pushing the limits of what a container can become isn’t just a skill, it's our specialty. From imaginative design to structural precision, we’re proud to lead the industry with innovative, out-of-the-box builds. And nothing proves that better than installing a fully functional MRI lab inside a shipping container. This project was more than a milestone; it was one of the first container-based MRI installations in the continental U.S. It took a team of passionate, relentless, and highly skilled individuals to bring it to life. We couldn’t have done it without each other and we’re just getting started.

So next time you wonder, “Can Conexwest really do that?” — remember this MRI lab, and know: if it can be dreamed up, we can build it.

CONEXWEST
We Build It Better
BUY 
RENT ONLINE