The Pacific Radiology service was expected to open in a temporary building next to SITE Trampoline in Red Oaks Dr, Frankton, last month.
Pacific Radiology managing director for Otago-Southland, Dr James Fulton, said the scanner's weight meant the building's foundations had to be particularly strong, which had added unexpected complexity and cost to the project and extended the consenting process.
The building industry hiatus over the Christmas holiday period meant the facility would not open until early February.
However, work on the foundations had begun, and the three Portacom buildings that would house the service would be delivered to the site early next month.
Dr Fulton said the service would eventually relocate to a private hospital planned for an adjacent site on Hawthorne Dr.
At present, Wakatipu and Central Otago residents needing scans must travel to the Southern District Health Board's base hospitals in Dunedin or Invercargill, or in some cases, to Christchurch.
The service will be operated by up to six staff, with a radiologist on site for six days a fortnight initially.
The building will also house a mammography service operated by BreastScreen Otago Southland.
