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Original poster

Private mri?

19 replies

Shelby1990x · 07/07/2020 20:24

Has anyone ever paid for a private mri scan? I have massive anixety over a brain tumour. I have found vista health and they quote £300 for a mri. Has anyone ever done something similar?

OP posts:

bluefoxmug · 07/07/2020 20:31

even private mri need to know what and where to look for.
300 seems to be the cheap. usually for a private scan you would pay easily 1k including the consultation by the specialist.

DeadCity · 07/07/2020 20:33

Yes, I had one. Think it was nearly £800. You still need a requesting doctor. I had mine done privately because my NHS date was too far into the future, and I wanted to travel. Took a while to organise, but the results were speedy.

Original poster

Shelby1990x · 07/07/2020 20:42

I thought it seemed cheap can I ask what companies you used?

OP posts:

DeadCity · 07/07/2020 21:14

I can’t remember the company - it was just at my local private hospital

fudgesmummy · 07/07/2020 21:16

Hi Shelby1990x
I paid to have a private MRI scan last September with Vista health.
I went to University Hospital Croydon and paid £450 for an open MRI scan.
A closed one would have cost me £300
It was money very well spent as it showed a potential major problem. I had major abdominal surgery just 5 weeks after getting the results

fudgesmummy · 07/07/2020 21:17

Oh, and I self referred. No doctor was involved at all 🙂

SueEllenMishke · 07/07/2020 21:19

I paid £300 for a private MRI recently. I was referred for one by a consultant who had seen me a few weeks previously.
I was emailed the images within 24 hours and has a written report 2 days later.

Nat6999 · 07/07/2020 21:23

I've just been quoted £500 for an MRI at Claremont Hospital in Sheffield.

Wolfiefan · 07/07/2020 21:25

Do you have anxiety or symptoms of a brain tumour OP?
If it’s the first then you need treatment for anxiety and if it is the second hasn’t the GP referred you already?

jullyg · 07/07/2020 21:25

Why do you think you have a brain tumour? If you have red flags for this condition could you discuss it with you're gp to be referred?

Original poster

Shelby1990x · 07/07/2020 21:31

Vista health is the company I have looked at!

I do have anixety unfortunately. I have nausea and dizziness for 15 days now unexplained. I have had 3 gp apps with no real success. I do admit I could be making them worse with my anixety but I'd be happy to pay for a private scan for the piece of mind as my anixety is crippling.

OP posts:

kwest · 07/07/2020 21:40

I paid £385 for private open mri scan 18 months ago. At university college Bournemouth. Had to be referred by a “professional” so my osteopath referred me as it was to investigate my sciatica. Having previously had a closed mri I wasn’t keen to have another but the open mri was great.

emmathedilemma · 08/07/2020 13:43

I think you should see your GP first and get for the health anxiety as well if you aren't already. It could even be the anxiety that's giving you these symptoms. Are you eating and drinking normally?
A private MRI earlier this year cost me (covered on insurance) over £1000, that was pelvis / abdomen.

fudgesmummy · 08/07/2020 14:08

@emmathedilemma
I'm glad my spine/abdomen MRI scan wasn't £1000 as I had to pay for it!
@kwest
What my osteopath thought was sciatica turned out to be a 50lb ovarian tumor

fudgesmummy · 08/07/2020 14:12

@Shelby1990x
If you can afford it and it would give you peace of mind I say pay for a private MRI scan.
My doctor wouldn't refer me so I went private, turned out I had stage one ovarian cancer. 5 weeks later I had a complete hysterectomy, my appendix removed and a hernia repaired.
I also had a 50lb ovarian tumor removed

Wolfiefan · 08/07/2020 14:31

You need to go back to your GP and seek help. If you suffer from anxiety you need help with that as well as help with physical symptoms. A scan won’t solve the anxiety.

kwest · 08/07/2020 16:09

@fudgesmummy
Thankfully mine was plain old sciatica caused by prolapsed discs. Hope your tumour was benign, that sounds awful.

fudgesmummy · 09/07/2020 21:15

@kwest
Thankfully it was benign, but thanks to the weight of the tumor and the surgery I have been left with long-term (possibly permanent) severe muscle damage to my hip, leg and back.

PJ1980 · 06/03/2025 03:11

I am in a similar position to you, thinking about getting a private MRI scan with vista health. I dont follow the logic of 'because you have health anxiety, dont bother with a scan'... The reality is many, many of people dont have a scan until its too late and get misdiagnosed as not having a tumour. Resources are scarce on the NHS, and if you can afford it, go for it and have the scan. If it comes back negative, it likely WILL help your anxiety on this issue at least. Good luck.

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