| Centre type | From-price | Referral rule | Report time | Source | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated scanning centre group (Vista Health) | £249 off-peak; £360 standard; £380 fast track (within 7 days) | Self-referral accepted (18+) | Written report within 3 working days | vista-health.co.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| Open or upright MRI (dedicated centre group) (Vista Health) | From £575 (Birmingham upright); from £600 (London open and upright) | Self-referral form offered | Report by a consultant radiologist; time not stated on the page | vista-health.co.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| Hospital group (50+ hospitals) (Circle Health Group) | From £347; varies by hospital, quote may be higher | Priced on the scans requested by the professional who referred you | Same day in some cases; otherwise within one week | circlehealthgroup.co.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| Hospital group diagnostic suite (Nuffield Health Manchester Diagnostic Suite) | £400 one part; £538 two parts; £658 three parts (guide prices) | Referral from a registered healthcare professional needed | Results within a few days | nuffieldhealth.com | 5 October 2026 |
| Hospital group hospital (Nuffield Health Leicester Hospital) | £470 one part (guide price) | Referral from a healthcare professional needed | Results to your referrer within a week | nuffieldhealth.com | 5 October 2026 |
| Hospital group hospital (Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital) | £525 one part (guide price) | Guide price only until your referral has been reviewed | Results within a few days | nuffieldhealth.com | 5 October 2026 |
| Hospital group hospital (Nuffield Health Leeds Hospital) | £590 one part (guide price) | Referral from a healthcare professional needed | Results to your referrer within a week | nuffieldhealth.com | 5 October 2026 |
| Hospital group hospital (Nuffield Health Cambridge Hospital) | £620 one part (guide price) | Referral from a healthcare professional needed | Results to your referrer within a week | nuffieldhealth.com | 5 October 2026 |
| Specialist orthopaedic clinic (Fortius Clinic Wimbledon) | £735 one part (guide price, excludes consultant fees) | Referral letter may be needed; physio referral may be accepted | Not stated on the price page | fortiusclinic.com | 5 October 2026 |
| Specialist orthopaedic clinic (Fortius Clinic (Marylebone, City, London)) | £950 one part (guide price, excludes consultant fees) | Referral letter may be needed; physio referral may be accepted | Not stated on the price page | fortiusclinic.com | 5 October 2026 |
| NHS trust private patient tariff (Dorset County Hospital NHS FT, private patients) | £577.50 one part, excludes consultant fee; contrast £52.50 (tariff 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027) | Not stated in the tariff | Not stated in the tariff | dchft.nhs.uk | 5 October 2026 |
| Online booking service (150+ partner centres) (Scan.com) | From £305, including a referral written by its medical team | No GP letter needed; its clinicians compile the referral | Estimated 7 to 10 working days | uk.scan.com | 5 October 2026 |
- Price is per single body area. Contrast, if needed, is £125 extra.
Prices are the centres' own published figures, checked by Pete on 5 October 2026. A centre may change a price at any time; the centre's quote is what counts. We delete a row we cannot re-check. Listing a centre here does not mean it is a partner of ours. Full list on Sources.
What we can and cannot do
We are not a clinic and not the NHS. We do not scan, diagnose, refer or book a confirmed slot. We cannot tell you whether you need an MRI. If you have new weakness, numbness in the saddle area, loss of bladder or bowel control, sudden severe headache, chest pain or any symptom that frightens you, call 999 or NHS 111, or see your GP, today.
What we can do: explain the price, the referral rule and the centre types in plain English, and, if you ask, pass your request to one independent scanning centre that covers your area so it can contact you. That is free for you. The centre may pay us a fee.
Four steps to a private MRI
- Body area. Name the one area to be scanned: the body area. Two areas usually cost more than one.
- Referral rule. Check whether the centre takes self-referral or wants a letter from a GP, physio or consultant. See self-referral and GP letter.
- Centre type. Dedicated scanning centre, hospital group, or open MRI. Compare the from-price, the referral rule and the report time.
- Ask one centre to contact you. Use the form. One partner centre may call or email you. Nothing is booked until you agree a time and price with them.
What decides the price of a private MRI?
Five things move the price more than anything else.
- The number of areas. Most centres price one body area, such as one knee or one region of the spine. Two knees are two areas. Nuffield Health's Manchester Diagnostic Suite listed £400 for one part, £538 for two and £658 for three on 5 October 2026.
- Contrast. If the scan needs a contrast injection, the price rises. Vista Health added £125. See contrast.
- How soon. Vista Health priced the same single-area scan at £249 off-peak (fixed, less popular times), £360 standard, and £380 fast track within seven days.
- Centre type. Dedicated scanning centres were cheapest. Hospital groups were higher. A specialist orthopaedic clinic in London was highest.
- What is included. Some prices include the radiologist's report and a link to your images. Some hospital prices exclude consultant fees. Dorset County Hospital's NHS private patient tariff, for example, listed £577.50 for one part and said it excludes the consultant fee.
Why do hospital MRI prices vary so much?
Hospital groups set prices per hospital. On 5 October 2026, Nuffield Health's one-part guide prices ranged from £400 in Manchester to £620 in Cambridge. Circle Health Group said its MRI prices start from £347 but vary by hospital and that your quote may be higher. A hospital price often comes with access to consultants on the same site, which may matter if your scan leads to treatment.
Nuffield Health says its figure is a guide price until its radiography team has reviewed your referral. In practice, treat any from-price as a starting point and get a written quote for your scan.
Is the cheapest private MRI good enough?
Often, yes, for a straightforward single-area scan such as a knee or the lower back. The scanner, the radiographer and the radiologist matter more than the building. Ask three questions: what is the scanner's field strength (most are 1.5T or 3T); who reports the scan, and are they a consultant radiologist; and how long will the report take?
Cheaper slots usually mean less choice of time. An off-peak slot at a fixed time may be early morning, late evening or a weekend. A mobile scanner unit parked at a hospital or community site is common and is not a sign of lower quality.
What extra costs should I expect after the scan?
The report tells you what the images show; it does not tell you what to do. You may need a GP, physio or consultant appointment to discuss it. Vista Health listed a post-scan GP consultation at £50 on 5 October 2026. A consultant follow-up at a private hospital costs more. If you are insured, check whether your policy covers the consultation as well as the scan.
Can I spread the cost?
Some centres offer payment plans. Vista Health said you could spread the cost over three months interest free. Nuffield Health mentioned 0% personal medical loans over 10, 12 or 24 months. Circle Health Group said it offered payment plans of one to five years, interest free over 10 months and at 9.9% APR for longer. Read the terms carefully; borrowing for a scan is a real cost.
What is the cheapest private MRI in England?
The lowest published single-area price we found on 5 October 2026 was £249 off-peak at Vista Health. Prices change; check the centre's page.
How much does a private MRI cost at a hospital?
Hospital guide prices for one part ranged from £400 to £620 at the Nuffield Health sites we checked on 5 October 2026. Circle Health Group said its prices start from £347.
Does a private MRI price include the report?
Often, but not always. Dedicated centres usually include the radiologist's report. Some hospital prices exclude consultant fees. Ask what is included.
Why is my quote higher than the advertised price?
More areas, contrast, a faster slot, a different hospital or added consultant fees all raise the price. A from-price is a starting point.
Want one centre to call you? Request a private MRI. Free for you; the centre may pay us.