Guide
Private MRI scan cost in the UK: what you pay and why it varies
Updated
The single most useful thing to know about private MRI pricing is that a scan is not one thing. Providers price by how many body parts are imaged, and the report is a separate piece of work from the scan itself.
MRI is priced per body part
On the published national price list of Practice Plus Group, stated as correct as at June 2026, an MRI scan of one body part is listed at £350, two body parts at £588, three at £825, four at £1,063, five at £1,300 and six at £1,537. A contrast scan injection is listed separately at £190 (Practice Plus Group price list). That structure, rather than the exact numbers, is what generalises: if your referral names two areas, expect a two-part price.
| Body parts imaged | Published price |
|---|---|
| One | £350 |
| Two | £588 |
| Three | £825 |
| Four | £1,063 |
| Five | £1,300 |
| Six | £1,537 |
What else moves an MRI quote
- Location. Central London list prices are commonly higher than the rest of the UK. A published national list flattens that; a per-hospital quote does not.
- Contrast. Some sequences need an injected contrast agent, which is charged on top. The list above prices it at £190.
- Scanner type and field strength. Open, upright and higher field-strength scanners are not interchangeable and are not priced alike.
- Whether a written radiologist report is included. Ask explicitly. A scan without a report is a set of images, not an answer.
- Whether the images are shared with your own doctor. Confirm the format and who receives them.
Do you need a referral for a private MRI?
It depends entirely on the provider, and this is worth settling before you compare prices. Within the NHS, the position is clear: "Generally, you cannot self-refer to a specialist at a hospital within the NHS, except when accessing sexual health clinics or A&E treatment" (NHS, referrals for specialist care). Privately, some imaging providers accept self-referral and others require a GP or consultant referral first. Ask each provider directly. We have not verified a single UK-wide rule for private imaging referrals, because there is not one.
The NHS comparison worth making
The comparison that matters is not private price against zero. It is private price against the wait you have actually been offered. Under the NHS Constitution, if a GP refers you for a non-urgent condition you have the legal right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks, and if you are likely to wait longer than the maximum you have the legal right to ask to be seen or treated by a different provider (NHS guide to waiting times in England). Ask what your actual wait is before deciding.
Nothing here is medical advice, and a scan is not a diagnosis. If you have symptoms that concern you, speak to a GP or NHS 111. A private scan without a clinician to interpret it in the context of your history is rarely the most useful purchase.