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Private MRI/CT scan cost

As part of the ongoing saga of my back, the latest is apparently it's not a muscle injury and is in fact a thoracic spinal problem (in the region of T4/T5). If this is the case, then I will need an MRI/CT scan to see if I have slipped a disc, and will be discussing this with my GP in a few days.

Given the waiting list for an MRI/CT scan on the NHS is in the order of weeks/months, I was wondering whether anyone else has paid privately for a spinal scan and, if so, how much did it cost? Given I can now feel bone-on-bone spinal pain and am gradually losing the ability to walk (I walk like a penguin, and slow down more and more the further I walk) I'm quite keen to get it sorted sooner rather than later.

Reply 1

gbduo

It is about £800 for an MRI, i don't know how much it is for CT.

That was for an MRI on my knee, with BUPA.

BUPA is probably the best course for you too, it is not that expensive, and certainly cheaper than paying outright! I am unsure however if you can claim for a pre-existing medical condition tho.

Reply 2

InArduisFouette

does your consultant consider it to be urgent?

thenHS wait for scans depends on the clinical urgency of the scan - thereis slack built into the system - for clinically urgent cases ...

Reply 3

Talya

I am almost 100% sure you can't claim for any existing conditions

Surely if you are in so much pain and your mobility it so badly impaired you would get put up higher on the waiting list? Say if they make you wait much longer you won't even be able to get to the hospital. Or wait that long then phone an ambulance to take you to A&E.

Reply 4

fleur de lis

My MRI was £600, don't know how much for a CT scan.

iTalya

I am almost 100% sure you can't claim for any existing conditions

Reply 5

YAP

I still haven't been referred to a consultant - my GP said he would do that next time I went in. The problem in terms of urgency is that I can still do my job. I know I'm not doing it as well as I normally do - pain lowers my concentration and the painkillers lower my cognitive abilities - but I'm working more hours to try and compensate for that. I don't want to be signed off work, either - it's the only thing keeping me going given I've had to give up everything else I do (playing the piano, for instance).

Ideally, I'd like my GP to refer me for the scan, as that would be a lot quicker than having to get an appointment with a consultant first - whether or not I can do this on the NHS depends on the PCT, but privately it wouldn't be a problem.

I checked the BUPA thing a couple of months ago whilst still waiting for physio - it was a very taunting piece of junk mail 'skip waiting lists, oh but sorry no pre-existing conditions'....

Reply 6

Elles

If you're going to go private MRI would definitely be the imaging method of choice, over CT.
If you don't have private medical insurance will paying to scan done ASAP help speed things along much? Presumably you're wanting confirmation of a disc prolapse --> spinal surgery, so you'd need to see a Consultant to be assessed/get on that waiting list...

All advice is unprofessional here & all - but is the difficulty walking due to the pain or do you think you have weakness in your legs? If it's weakness & there's a change in sensation there/numbness down the inside of your legs with a weird sensation on going to the toilet i would take myself to A&E.

Reply 7

Eternal Student

I have no idea, other than that it's very expensive. I've had a series of private medical stuff done on insurance over the last few months - lots of physio, consultation with a neurologist, X-rays, bloods and so on. When I was referred to the neurologist I had to get a separate authorisation code from BUPA for an MRI because they cost so much, but they've just authorised surgery under the general code. So I'm guessing that an MRI might cost more than booking an operating theatre and paying for a surgeon, anaesthetist and nursing attendants....

Reply 8

figureeight

YAP

I went to do work experience at a private MRI clinic outside a well known London station, and their scans begin from around £200, which is very competitive. I'd be happy to provide you with more information, but I'm not so clued up about the whole TSR policy thing.
Anyways, without detaining you any longer (and so I don't sound like a salesman :s-smilie:

) just send me a PM if you're interested in some more information :smile:

Good luck with your scans :biggrin:

Reply 9

YAP

Elles

If you don't have private medical insurance will paying to scan done ASAP help speed things along much? Presumably you're wanting confirmation of a disc prolapse --> spinal surgery, so you'd need to see a Consultant to be assessed/get on that waiting list...

It doesn't necessarily need surgery, but does need a correct diagnosis so I get the correct non-surgical first-line treatment. I'm keen getting it diagnosed correctly as a lot of my problems stem from repeated misdiagnosis. It's been a torn muscle; poor posture in the cervical spine; and now is apparently a problem in the thoracic spine. Based on observation, the thoracic spine theory is the most plausible so far, due to the effects of the physio in the two weeks prior to my GP suggesting that diagnosis: I was given exercises, cancelled after two days due to pain, which will have caused further tearing; and then ultrasound, which will have been absorbed by the inter-vertebral scar tissue causing further inflammation, and the whole-body spasm I've had since then (subdued by benzos).

All advice is unprofessional here & all - but is the difficulty walking due to the pain or do you think you have weakness in your legs? If it's weakness & there's a change in sensation there/numbness down the inside of your legs with a weird sensation on going to the toilet i would take myself to A&E.

Bladder and bowel control is unaffected, no loss of sensation. The problem with walking is due to it feeling very sluggish. I'm guessing the pressure on the nerve is slowing the impulses (thicker nerves transmit signals more quickly; thinner ones more slowly), and the further I walk the more inflammation I have between the vertebrae and the slower the impulses get. I will discuss all of this with my GP and see what he says, unless I lose the ability to walk entirely before then....

Thanks for everyone's advice :smile:

Reply 10

Elles

The norm: prolapsed inteverbral disc is a clinical diagnosis. Imaging (MRI) is useful to confirm and clarify the location/identify any other pathology if surgery is planned.

What specific first line non-surgical intervention did you have in mind? The convention seems to just be following generic advice* for back pain...

*Analgesia, muscle relaxation, anti-inflammatories, movement (perhaps Physio/Osteo/Chiro) & time.

Reply 11

YAP

Elles

The norm: prolapsed inteverbral disc is a clinical diagnosis. Imaging (MRI) is useful to confirm and clarify the location/identify any other pathology if surgery is planned.

Okay, so I'd guess it's unlikely a GP would order the scan then, as they wouldn't do the surgery themselves should it be needed. In which case, a more cost-effective use of funds might be to pay to skip up the waiting list for a consultation with a surgeon, but get the rest (including the scan) done on the NHS.

What specific first line non-surgical intervention did you have in mind? The convention seems to just be following generic advice for back pain...

Perhaps a cervical-thoracic brace to give it chance to heal, followed by physiotherapy to improve the supporting muscle tone rather than to flex the vertebrae as much as possible. I'm just immensely frustrated, sore, and tired of repeated misdiagnoses and was hoping that at least a correct diagnosis would help guide the alternatives to try first

Reply 12

YAP

Okay, went to see my GP this morning who rang the hospital and arranged for me to see the receiving orthapaedic surgeon at A&E. Blood tests are normal, physical examination was inconclusive and didn't indicate I was about to completely lose the ability to walk, so I'm going back see consultant in a week who will then decide about MRI scans and such.

All this on the NHS so far, which I'm quite impressed with - I got to see an orthapaedist within 2 hours of seeing my GP, who has ensured nothing bad is about to happen in the next 7 days, by which time I'll get to see a consultant. After that, all my treatment (physio, or anything else) will be through the orthapaedic clinic.

Reply 13

FoeGeddaBowDeet

Damn those prices are ridiculous, i've had a lot of MRI scans and they only last about 20-30 mins!

Reply 14

Debbie england

How much does a ct scan cost and the address if poss

Reply 15

Precious1966

Original post by YAP

Sorry to hear about your current situation and the impact that it is having on your quality of life at this moment in time. I don't know whether I am one of the lucky ones but I visited my GP lately due to stress related symptoms i also mentioned that I had lost a bit of weight. He looked back through my records and found that I was weighed approximately a year prior and that i was 1.5 stone heavier. He went on enquire about my diet etc and carried out a physical examination of my abdomen.

Although MY GP did not find or observe anything of concern and thus was of the view that it was probably stress related, he said that he would like to make doubly sure and refer me to have a whole body CT Scan to which i agreed to for peace of mind. Now, like you and i guess what we hear about the NHS i thought it was going to be a very long wait but within 4 days i had received a letter from the hospital for an appointment that was scheduled to take place 7days from the receipt of the letter. I had the test 4 days ago and awaiting the results from it.

Now I don't know whether I have just been incredibly lucky and that there was no waiting list or whether unknown to me my GP flagged it up as URGENT but you definitely sound in a lot more pain and discomfort than me. I know health comes before money but before you look at going private I would suggest that you go back to your GP and really lay things on the table and let him know in no uncertain terms how your current situation is having a detrimental impact on your health both physically and psychologically and wellbeing and for your peace of mind please will be refer you to the local hospital for a CT Scan. If you don't ask, you'll never know and who knows you make be one of the lucky ones and get a quick turnaround.

Wishing you all the best.