SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION       
                              WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
                                          
                                  ----------------
                                          
                                      FORM 8-K
                                          
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                          
                                          
                                          
                                          
DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED)       May 18, 1998     
                                                 -----------------------------


                            InSight Health Services Corp.                     
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               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)  



      Delaware                        0-28622                    33-0702770
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(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION        (COMMISSION               (I.R.S EMPLOYER
  OF INCORPORATION)                 FILE NUMBER)            IDENTIFICATION NO.)


          4400 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 800, Newport Beach, CA  92660
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         (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)              (ZIP CODE)



                                   (949) 476-0733
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                 REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE


                                         N/A         
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           (FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT)




ITEM 2.   ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS.

(a)  On May 18, 1998, InSight Health Services Corp., a Delaware corporation
     ("Registrant"), through its wholly owned subsidiary, SMSI Acquisition
     Company, a Delaware corporation ("SMSI"), acquired all of the capital 
     stock of Signal Medical Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Signal"),
     in a merger of Signal with and into SMSI (the "Merger").  The Merger was 
     consummated pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of 
     April 15, 1998 among Registrant, SMSI, Signal, SMSI Holdings, Inc. 
     ("Holdings"), Brian P. Stone, Thomas W. Crucitti and Todd Stowell, as
     amended by the First Amendment thereto dated May 15, 1998 and the Second
     Amendment thereto dated May 18, 1998.  Holdings and Messrs. Stone, Crucitti
     and Stowell were the stockholders of Signal (collectively, the "Signal
     Stockholders"). The assets acquired by Registrant as a result of the Merger
     consist of certain tangible and intangible assets, including mobile
     diagnostic imaging equipment, customer contracts and other agreements
     entered into in by Signal in connection with providing diagnostic imaging
     services to customers in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States. 
     Pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the Certificate of Merger filed with
     the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, at the effective time of
     the Merger, SMSI changed its name to "Signal Medical Services, Inc."

     The aggregate purchase price, including the assumption of indebtedness, 
     was $45.7 million, and was determined by negotiations among the parties. 
     The purchase price was paid entirely in cash and is subject to 
     certain post-closing adjustments.  A portion of the purchase price is 
     being held in escrow for a period of time after the Merger for the 
     satisfaction of certain indemnification obligations of the Signal 
     Stockholders. As a condition to the Merger, Messrs. Stone, Crucitti, 
     Stowell and David M. Karchner, all former officers and employees of Signal,
     entered into employment agreements with Registrant pursuant to which such 
     individuals agreed to serve as employees of Registrant.  In connection 
     with such employment agreements, Messrs. Stone, Crucitti and Karchner 
     received options to purchase a number of shares of common stock of 
     Registrant.  Registrant utilized its existing credit facility with 
     NationsBank, N.A. to fund the purchase price.

(b)  At the time of the Merger, Signal provided diagnostic imaging services,
     including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and lithotripsy
     services, in eleven states, primarily in the Northeastern and Southeastern
     United States.  Registrant intends to use the assets acquired in the Merger
     to expand upon its existing business. Registrant provides diagnostic
     imaging and information, treatment and related management services to
     managed care, hospitals and other contractual customers in 25 United 
     States, including five major U.S. markets.


                                       2



ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

(a)  Financial statements of businesses acquired.
          
          It is impractical to file with this report the financial statements
          required by this Item.  Audited financial statements of Signal Medical
          Services, Inc. for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1996 and 1997
          required by this Item will be included in an amendment to this report
          to be filed within 60 days after the date this report is filed with
          the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
          
(b)  Pro forma financial information.

          It is impractical to file with this report the pro forma financial
          information required by this Item.  Pro forma financial information
          required by this Item will be included in an amendment to this report
          to be filed within 60 days after the date this report is filed with
          the SEC.

 (c) Exhibits.
          
          *2.1 Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of April 15, 1998 among
               InSight Health Services Corp., SMSI Acquisition Company, Signal
               Medical Services, Inc., SMSI Holdings, Inc., Brian P. Stone,
               Thomas W. Crucitti and Todd Stowell  (incorporated herein by
               reference to Exhibit 10.32 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report
               on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1998 filed with the
               Commission on May 13, 1998).
                    
          2.2  First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of May
               15, 1998 by and among InSight Health Services Corp., SMSI
               Acquisition Company, Signal Medical Services, Inc., SMSI
               Holdings, Inc., Brian P. Stone, Thomas W. Crucitti and Todd
               Stowell (filed herewith).
          
          2.3  Second Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of May
               18, 1998 by and among InSight Health Services Corp., SMSI
               Acquisition Company, Signal Medical Services, Inc., SMSI
               Holdings, Inc., Brian P. Stone, Thomas W. Crucitti and Todd
               Stowell (filed herewith).
          
          
          99.1 Press Release dated May 19, 1998 announcing the completion of the
               Merger (filed herewith). 
                                          
_________________________
* Previously filed.


                                       3



                                     SIGNATURES
                                          
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


Date:  June 2, 1998

                                      INSIGHT HEALTH SERVICES CORP.



                                      BY:  /S/ E. LARRY ATKINS      
                                          ------------------------------
                                          E. Larry Atkins
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer


                                       4



                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
                                                 



                                                                  SEQUENTIALLY
EXHIBIT NO.    DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION                               NUMBERED PAGE
                                                            
  *2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of April 15,
          1998 among InSight Health Services Corp., SMSI 
          Acquisition Company, Signal Medical Services, Inc., 
          SMSI Holdings, Inc., Brian P. Stone, Thomas W. 
          Crucitti and Todd Stowell  (incorporated herein by
          reference to Exhibit 10.32 to the Registrant's 
          Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
          March 31, 1998 filed with the Commission on 
          May 13, 1998)

   2.2    First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger                       
          dated as of May 15, 1998 by and among InSight                         
          Health Services Corp., SMSI Acquisition Company,             
          Signal Medical Services, Inc., SMSI Holdings,         
          Inc., Brian P. Stone, Thomas W. Crucitti and Todd
          Stowell (filed herewith) . . . . . . . . . . . . .           6
                                                                          
   2.3    Second Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger
          dated as of May 18, 1998 by and among InSight
          Health Services Corp., SMSI Acquisition Company,
          Signal Medical Services, Inc., SMSI Holdings,                
          Inc., Brian P. Stone, Thomas W. Crucitti and Todd
          Stowell (filed herewith) . . . . . . . . . . . . .           8
         
   99.1   Press Release dated May 19, 1998 announcing the      
          completion of the Merger (filed herewith). . . . .           10

_________________________
* Previously filed.