Private imaging for knee pain, London

[Pandabear70]

I damaged my knee two months ago, and have been to the GP and self referred for NHS physio.

At times, the pain is unbearable and have started private physio while I wait for NHS.

I would really like some imaging done and my physio thinks this would be helpful too.

But the NHS wait times (according to Google!) for my hospital are 18 weeks minimum and that’s just for physio and only can I be referred for imaging.

The pain so bad I can’t work sometimes! (I a very active job.) I can’t weight bear, or walk down the stairs or squat when it’s really bad - I can do all these on a good day except squat. So I really want to sort it all out asap and get my life back! I’m usually very active!

What do people think of private imaging? Worth it? And any recommendations of places? London or surrounds! I know sometimes London makes things more expensive.

Bump!

Here the NHS don't do knees unless you arrive via A&E. I paid to see a private consultant (a knee specialist) who saw me on the Thursday afternoon, had me having an MRI on the Saturday morning and my follow up on the Monday! The MRI showed significant damage so he wanted to book surgery ASAP and it was only postponed because I had a 10 day holiday booked. Operation was performed 2 days after my holiday. Ideally I need a new knee but the NHS won't consider it yet as I'm 'too young' and it's £12k privately. I'd say go for it as you'll wait forever for the NHS.

Oh crikey - the whole thing cost £12k? Or the operation? I can probably spend £1000 but not 12!

Would you recommend your clinic? The pain sometimes makes me feel nauseous it’s so bad!

I have used private imaging twice ultimately had 2 x TKR
If You can afford it then I would 100 %recommend it
I did meet some negativity from individuals who were very vocal about what they saw as an unfair advantage
My reply to them was to point out that I was actually taking myself off an NHS waiting list

Would you recommend where you went? How did you go about finding it? I have seen a bunch on a Google search but the reviews are v mixed! (As are the prices!)

I’m wondering who will review the MRI after I get it, too.

I used a Spire Health hospital.I am in the north but I think they are nationwide
The imaging was reported on by the imaging clinical staff .
I got a report within 48 hours
I took this to my GP and given the severity ultimately had surgery within a month.
My (Self fund) physio recommended them.I hope this helps

I used these
https://harleystreetultrasound.com/private-muscle-joints-ultrasound-scan-services/private-knee-ultrasound/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAkc28BhB0EiwAM001TV0qKoub2t62MKGjf8o2PuG36ZYj6DfAPRPav9phD8Oj2dJIZNMHGxoCzp8QAvD_BwE

Then I sent images and report to gp and asked for nhs referral to knee specialist which only took two months to knee surgeon. Had further xrays etc done on NHS. Just had total knee replacement.

This is great, thank you! Did the report say what the problem was etc? (Ie: do they scan and diagnose?)

I went to a company by Waterloo station, I think they were called vista. I was referred by my physio and you pay a different amount depending on how quickly you want the results. They sent the results to me, my physio & my GP. I just looked, £365 for an MRI of your knee, you could go on Sunday.

An MRI needs to be requested by someone who can interpret the result. If your NHS physio is happy to do that, fine, otherwise see a private orthopaedic surgeon and get their advice on what imaging, if any, is needed.

Who interprets the report?

You can pay to have an appointment with a doctor or have your own physio/rheumatologist/orthopaedic surgeon look at it. Have a look at the website & see what you think. A friend of mine was referred their by her NHS GP. It isn’t a fancy facility, I think most of the people there were referred rather than self-funding.

I paid for a private MRI scan three years ago when I slipped a disc jn my back. I couldn't walk and the waiting list for an NHS referral was several weeks long. I was seeing a chiropractor but he was anxious about treating me in the absence of a scan. I used Vista Health and paid £350 for the scan. The price varied according to how quickly you wanted to be seen - I think the next day would have been just over £400 or if I'd waited a week it would have been £300. It was worth every penny and it was really helpful to have the scan results when I finallly got to the MSK clinic.

My son damaged his cruciate ligament a while back and he just went online and booked a private MRI, think it cost about £250. He then searched around and found a private surgeon who specialised in knees to do the op. He had it done and then a year later got the NHS letter to attend - no way could he have lived with it for over a year....

Huge sympathy from me OP, having similar problem. Can I suggest that at the same time you go down a very expensive private route, that you also go back to your GP. You must impress upon them that you have 1). constant extreme pain that is not improving. 2) very decreased mobility which is not improving . 3) (I'm guessing this is the case) and this is affecting your sleep 4). also affecting your ability to work.

I went back to my GP three times before they referred me to an Orthopaedic Clinic (who I'm seeing tomorrow, after three months). I was also initially referred to a physio, but only a junior physio (who couldn't do steroid injections for pain relief nor could they refer for an MRI). Again, I went back twice before they "kicked me upstairs" to senior physio department who I'm seeing next week.

I'm sorry that you have to do this, but I think you need to be a very assertive advocate for yourself, which is difficult to do if you're in pain. But please, see what you can get from the NHS as well as having a Plan B for private provision.

Solidarity with the knee pain! And wishing you much courage and luck with it.

Yes the report was written by a doctor with the diagnosis

Also - is it better to get an MRI than an ultrasound? An ultrasound appears to be easier to get! (Privately anyway!)

I don’t want to get an ultrasound only to really need an MRI because maybe the ultrasound doesn’t show up? It’s very confusing!

Knees need MRI. I ended up having two knee replacements following an initial trip accident. I was 52 with first knee. The myth about being too young needs to be busted. I know many knee replacement patients in 30s and 40s via a Facebook group I'm in. If you need a new knee better to have it when you're young enough to enjoy life again. Mine were both NHS.

Exactly. That's why the test needs to be requested by someone who knows what they are doing and can interpret it. If you MRI 100 people off the street with no knee pain, plenty of them will have abnormalities of their knee cartilage etc, so you need someone who knows what is relevant to your precise presentation and what is an incidental finding, or you could end up with unnecessary surgery. In my 20 years as a GP I have never requested an USS of the knee or seen physio/orthopaedics do it.

@Pandabear70

Could you ask your GP whether you can be referred to have private treatment at the RNOH, OP?

https://www.rnoh.nhs.uk/services/imaging-services

What poor information on here. Mri anyones knee over 30 it will show degeneration.

you need a private consultant who may do an mri or xray or on examination advise he will et your gp to refer you into the nhs.

see the consultant first, not the otherway round. A scan cant fix you. The consultant might offer you an injection there and then.

I can recommend the Fortius Clinic very highly. No personal experience with knees, but my DH had shoulder surgery, a friend has had a hip replacement, and one of my DCs was treated there for a sports injury.

https://www.fortiusclinic.com/conditions/knee

I'd see a private knee orthopod first as depending on the issue an ultrasound or mri maybe better, and you don't want to pay for both. Most gps can tell you who is good locally privately

My dh had a scan with Vista Health in London (Fitzovia).

https://www.vista-health.co.uk/diagnostics/mri-services/mri-scan/?infinity=ict2%7Enet%7Egaw%7Ecmp%7ELondon+%28MRI%29%7Eag%7EDSA+London%7Ear%7E583087475746%7Ekw%7E%7Emt%7E&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD8fVYqC4kbSuaPYivyd70lx1ZXbN&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhfvm1YORiwMV0JlQBh0pQjebEAAYAiAAEgJG7fD_BwE&_its=eF5VkU9vozAQxb9K5dNW2iSADQO50W1UUW20SrqqlBPyP8BbwJbjFFVV-Owd0tMe572fNG_efJJ3o8iWxKookgKiFaUqWTEq0hUXebzKYpGwmGWCQ0p-knPgQSPu-zDHQCGPKYNi7vmo5qSGJIK4dk7WAFkBkgJladpwntFGZlJENGEspRrU7ELdyt6oeVdWvDpY8avbV13zPsSnP0cz7V-j5_7w0EXu8E-LXVmeSlOWu_b5CZrH-mHaYRYegjfiEowdyfaTuIvozbnTHuO11ra9RkbZgRu0yTRN6291Le2AjteN9v5GdyG483az-Z_ZICQ7Po66r7Ch221YgJd7q5YK8MyF4IPjpl1W_LajsuPdj_2xul_iqSdvLw6Nx5fy7tu8yUfdoJjmNMqBQQosQ3nUYbL-bcnOJ5wHHmT398Mtm3B80x9oL48iVwxhgl4y5UUK1y9DjYrH

Thank you everyone! My private physio said they will refer me to a private MRI.

I wouldn’t do any of this if the pain weren’t affecting my job, and the NHS waiting lists weren’t so long. I can’t do my job properly with this pain, and it’s really getting me down. I just want to know whether going to work is just painful, or damaging me. I want answers really! I’m not a random person off the street, I have a very swollen and painful knee every day - it’s super painful after work, dull pain when I’m not working.