<Page>
Exhibit 5.9
[LETTERHEAD OF BODE, CALL & STROUPE, L.L.P.]
February 13, 2003
MedQuest, Inc.
2400 North Point Parkway
Alpharetta, Georgia 30022
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112
RE: REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES OF MEDQUEST, INC.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Registration Statement (the "Registration
Statement") on Form S-4 (File No. 333-101399) of MedQuest, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the Company's offer (the
"Exchange Offer") to exchange up to $180,000,000 principal amount of the
Company's 11 7/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2012 that have been registered
under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "New Notes"), which New Notes will be
guaranteed (the "Guarantees") by, among others, each of Asheville Open MRI,
Inc., Cabarrus Diagnostic Imaging, Inc., Cape Fear Diagnostic Imaging, Inc.,
Carolina Imaging, Inc. of Fayetteville, Chapel Hill Diagnostic Imaging, Inc.,
Mecklenburg Diagnostic Imaging, Inc., formerly known as Mecklenburg Open MRI,
Inc., Piedmont Imaging, Inc. and Triad Imaging, Inc., each a North Carolina
corporation, and Coastal Imaging, LLC, Durham Diagnostic Imaging, LLC and
Jacksonville Diagnostic Imaging, LLC, each a North Carolina limited liability
company (together, the "North Carolina Guarantors"), for a like principal
amount of the Company's outstanding 11 7/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due
2012 (the "Old Notes"), which Old Notes have also been guaranteed by such
guarantors.
We have acted as Special North Carolina counsel to the North Carolina
Guarantors in connection with the above. This opinion letter is rendered to you
pursuant to the North Carolina Guarantors' request.
<Page>
MedQuest, Inc.
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
February 13, 2003
Page 2
We have reviewed such documents and considered such matters of law and
fact as we, in our professional judgment, have deemed appropriate to render the
opinions contained herein. Where we have considered it appropriate, as to
certain facts we have relied, without investigation or analysis of any
underlying data contained therein, upon certificates or other comparable
documents of public officials and officers or other appropriate representatives
of the North Carolina Guarantors.
In our role as Special North Carolina counsel, we have not participated in
the negotiation leading to the Registration Statement. Our role has been limited
to a review of the various records, documents and instruments referred to herein
and rendering the opinions set forth below. In connection with this opinion, we
have also examined and relied upon the originals, or copies certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents and agreements,
corporate documents, limited liability company documents and records of the
North Carolina Guarantors, and certificates of public officials and have
received such information from the respective officers/managers of the North
Carolina Guarantors as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to enable us to
express the opinions expressed below. We have also relied on the following
documents, as to certain factual matters: two Manager's Certificates Pursuant to
the Credit Agreement and the Purchase Agreement, dated August 15, 2002; the
Officer's Certificate Pursuant to the Credit Agreement and the Purchase
Agreement, dated August 15, 2002; the Secretary's Certificate Pursuant to the
Credit Agreement and the Purchase Agreement, dated August 15, 2002; Jacksonville
Diagnostic Imaging, LLC Unanimous Written Consent of the Sole Member and the
Managers in Lieu of a Meeting dated as of October 1, 2002; Jacksonville
Diagnostic Imaging, LLC Amendment to Articles of Organization dated as of
October 9, 2002; Durham Diagnostic Imaging, LLC Unanimous Written Consent of the
Sole Member and the Managers in Lieu of a Meeting dated as of October 1, 2002;
Durham Diagnostic Imaging, LLC Amendment to Articles of Organization dated as of
October 9, 2002; the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 13,
2002; the MedQuest, Inc. Officer's Certificate Pursuant to Indenture, dated as
of November 13, 2002; the opinion letter dated November 13, 2002 from O'Melveny
& Meyers LLP to Wachovia Bank, National Association, regarding the First
Supplemental Indenture; the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December
20, 2002; the MedQuest, Inc. Officer's Certificate Pursuant to Indenture, dated
as of December 20, 2002; the opinion letter dated December 20, 2002 from
O'Melveny & Meyers LLP to Wachovia Bank, National Association, regarding the
Second Supplemental Indenture; the Coastal Imaging, LLC Unanimous Written
Consent of the Sole Member and the Managers in Lieu of a Meeting, dated as of
January 3, 2003; the Coastal Imaging, LLC Amendment to Articles of Organization,
dated as of January 8, 2003; Amendment No. 1, dated as of January 3, 2003 to the
Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of Coastal Imaging, LLC, dated
February 25, 2000; the Officer's Certificate dated as of February 13, 2003; and
the Manager's Certificate dated February 13, 2003.
<Page>
MedQuest, Inc.
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
February 13, 2003
Page 3
In acting as Special North Carolina counsel to the North Carolina
Guarantors, we have examined the following documents (the "Opinion Documents"):
1. The Indenture dated as of August 15, 2002, among MQ Associates, Inc.
("Holdings"), Wachovia Bank, National Association, as trustee ("Trustee"), the
Company and the North Carolina Guarantors and the other subsidiary guarantors a
party thereto, as supplemented November 12, 2002 and December 20, 2002 (the
"Indenture").
2. The Registration Rights Agreement dated as of August 15, 2002, by and
among J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.("JP Morgan"), UBS Warburg LLC and Wachovia
Securities, Inc. (collectively, the "Initial Purchasers"), the Company, the
North Carolina Guarantors and the other guarantors listed in Schedule 1 thereto
(the "Registration Rights Agreement").
3. The Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form
S-4 (File No. 333-101399 of the Company.
ASSUMPTIONS
For the purposes of the opinions expressed below we have made the
following assumptions:
A. The Initial Purchasers are duly organized and in good standing under
applicable state and federal law and all other applicable laws to which they are
subject, they have the full power and authority to enter into the Opinion
Documents upon the terms and with the security contemplated, and the Opinion
Documents do not violate any lending or other law, rule or regulation by which
the Initial Purchasers are bound. To the extent necessary, the Opinion Documents
in the form presented to us have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Initial Purchasers and have been or will be duly
executed and delivered by the Initial Purchaser as applicable;
B. All natural persons executing the Opinion Documents have legal capacity
to do so; all signatures on all documents examined by us are genuine; and all
documents submitted to us as originals are authentic; and all documents
submitted to us as certified copies or photocopies conform to the original
documents, which themselves are authentic;
C. The Initial Purchasers have no knowledge or notice of any fraud in
connection with the Opinion Documents or any fact which would constitute notice
to them of any such fraud and the Initial Purchasers could prove that they are
bona fide holders of the Opinion Documents for value and without notice of any
fraud or inadequacy of consideration;
D. The Opinion Documents reflect the entire agreement of the parties
thereto and the parties have no actual knowledge to the contrary;
<Page>
MedQuest, Inc.
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
February 13, 2003
Page 4
E. The Initial Purchasers will enforce their rights under the
Opinion Documents in circumstances and in a manner in which it is
commercially reasonable to do so;
F. All agreements and commitments of the parties are supported by
adequate consideration or value, duly given and the parties have no actual
knowledge to the contrary;
G. We note that certain of the Opinion Documents are to be governed by the
laws of the State of New York. For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed
that the internal, substantive laws and judicial interpretations of the State of
New York are identical to those of the State of North Carolina to the extent
such internal, substantive laws and judicial interpretations pertain to our
opinions contained herein concerning the Opinion Documents; and
H. The New Notes, when executed and issued, shall be in a form
substantially similar to Exhibit B to the Indenture.
QUALIFICATIONS
The opinions hereinafter expressed are subject to the following
qualifications:
A. The opinions expressed below are limited to matters of North Carolina
law but we express no opinion as to the extent North Carolina law will govern
the Opinion Documents or as to the enforceability of any choice of law
provisions in the Opinion Documents. No opinion is expressed as to any of the
Opinion Documents or as to any matter referenced in the Opinion Documents which
is governed by the laws of any other state, the federal laws of the United
States or as relates to any securities or tax laws or regulations (including
North Carolina);
B. The opinions expressed below are based solely on our examination of the
Opinion Documents and the documents listed herein. We have not performed any
investigation of any facts surrounding the execution of the Opinion Documents or
examined any documents, agreements, certificates or reports other than the
Opinion Documents and the documents referenced herein. No opinion is expressed
with respect to any documents or obligations evidenced thereby and not
specifically enumerated herein;
C. Our opinions are limited to matters expressly stated herein and
no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated;
D. This opinion letter is furnished solely for the benefit of the
addressees and the holders of the New Notes and their successors or assigns, and
may not be relied upon by nor copies delivered to any other person or entity or
in connection with any other transaction without our prior written consent;
<Page>
MedQuest, Inc.
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
February 13, 2003
Page 5
E. Provisions in the Opinion Documents providing for the payment of
attorneys' fees by the North Carolina Guarantors are enforceable only to the
extent authorized by North Carolina General Statutes Section 6-21.2;
F. Certain rights, remedies and waivers contained in the Opinion Documents
may be limited or rendered ineffective by applicable laws, judicial decisions or
considerations of public policy governing such provisions. For purposes of this
paragraph, the term "considerations of public policy" may include, but is not
limited to, issues related to the waiver of procedural, substantive or
constitutional rights or other legal or equitable rights, including, without
limitation, the waiver of the right to a jury trial and the right of statutory
or equitable redemption; the confession or consent to any judgment; the consent
by the North Carolina Guarantors to the jurisdiction of any court; disclaimers
or limitations of liabilities; discharges of defenses; the exercise of self-help
or other remedies without judicial process; the waiver of accountings for rent
or sale proceeds; and the election of remedies;
G. We do not pass on the effectiveness of any provisions of the
Opinion Documents which purport to grant the Initial Purchasers a power of
attorney to act on behalf of the North Carolina Guarantors;
H. We express no opinion with respect to any provisions in the
Opinion Documents imposing penalties, forfeitures, or an increase in interest
rate upon delinquency in payment or the occurrence of a default;
I. We express no opinion with respect to the assignability or
transferability of any of the North Carolina Guarantors' rights under
permits, licenses or similar documents purported to be assigned by the
Opinion Documents;
J. No opinion is expressed as to the enforceability of provisions
relating to (i) evidentiary standards, or (ii) contractual or legal standards
by which the Opinion Documents are to be construed for or against any party
thereto;
K. Enforceability of the Guarantees may be limited by (i) applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium and
similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, (ii)
general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding
in equity or at law), which may, among other things, deny rights of specific
performance or injunctive relief, and (iii) general principals of commercial
reasonableness and good faith to the extent required of Initial Purchasers by
applicable law; and
L. We do not express any opinion as to the enforceability of the
Guarantees, to the extent that enforcement may be limited by the provisions of
Chapter 26 of the North Carolina General
<Page>
MedQuest, Inc.
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
February 13, 2003
Page 6
Statutes, and we express no opinion as to the effectiveness of any waiver by any
North Carolina Guarantor of its rights under that Chapter.
OPINION
Upon the basis of the foregoing, we are of the opinion that when the New
Notes have been duly executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance with
the Indenture, in exchange for the Old Notes in accordance with the Indenture
and the Exchange Offer, the Guarantees of the North Carolina Guarantors will be
the legally valid and binding obligations of the respective North Carolina
Guarantors.
We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we
are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section
7 of the Securities Act of 1933 or the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
Very truly yours,
BODE, CALL & STROUPE, L.L.P.
/s/ BODE, CALL & STROUPE, L.L.P.