MRI machines are getting bigger in the US to accommodate fattening Americans!

First, Disney had to change the boats in Pirates of the Caribbean to prevent them from sinking, and now this. The makers of MRI machines and other medical scanners are hurrying to make machines that are bigger and can withstand heavier people.

The Wall Street Journal tells of a mechanic in Maryland who cannot get a back surgery without an MRI, and he's out of work because of it. The problem? He's 630-pounds and literally cannot fit in any machine close to him.

In the last 15 years, the diameters for CT scanners have grown 25% from 2 to 2 1/2 feet. And it's not just about size. The new machines need to use more radiation because the layers of fat can distort the pictures.  

(Source)