| 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 |
| Hospital group hospital (Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital) | £590 one part (guide price) | Referral from a healthcare professional needed | Results to your referrer within a week | nuffieldhealth.com | 5 October 2026 |
- Price is per single body area. Contrast, if needed, is £125 extra.
Each figure is the centre's own published price, checked 5 October 2026; the quote a centre gives you for Brighton is what counts. Listed does not mean partner. See Sources.
What we can and cannot do in Brighton
We are not a clinic and not the NHS. We do not scan, diagnose, refer or book a slot, and we cannot tell you whether you need a knee MRI. Urgent symptoms such as new weakness, numbness around the genitals or back passage, loss of bladder or bowel control, a sudden severe headache or chest pain need 999, NHS 111 or your GP today. What we can do: show the Brighton prices and rules we checked, and pass your request to one partner centre covering Brighton, if one does. Free for you; the centre may pay us.
Four steps to a private knee MRI in Brighton
- Body area: knee, one side unless you say otherwise.
- Referral rule: self-referral or a letter, depending on the Brighton centre.
- Centre type: dedicated, hospital group or open, compared on price, rule and report time.
- Ask one centre to contact you with the form. Nothing is booked until you agree a time and price.
Where can I get a private knee MRI in Brighton?
Brighton has a private hospital on the east side of the city, a dedicated scanning site at Brighton Marina, and further options across Sussex. Vista Health also listed Eastbourne on 5 October 2026, which may suit people east of the city.
Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital, in the BN2 postcode on the east side of Brighton, published a one-part guide price of £590 on 5 October 2026, with a referral needed and results to your referrer within a week. Vista Health's Brighton Marina site, also BN2, charges its national prices. Spire Healthcare's hospital list includes Spire Gatwick Park Hospital, north of Crawley, which some people in mid Sussex use; Spire did not publish an MRI price for it that we could verify.
Vista Health's own location list, checked 5 October 2026, includes these sites for the Brighton area: Brighton Marina. Its prices are national, so the table row applies to each of them; check that the site you pick offers a knee scan on the day you want.
Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital publishes a one-part MRI guide price of £590 and says you need a referral from a healthcare professional; it gives a firm price once that referral has been reviewed.
Can I book a private knee MRI in Brighton without a GP?
Yes, at centres that accept self-referral. Dedicated centres such as Vista Health take adult self-referral for a knee scan after a safety and clinical questionnaire, and they charge the same price at each of their sites, including those near Brighton. Hospital groups usually want a referral from a GP, consultant or registered physiotherapist. If a physio in Brighton has already examined your knee, their referral is often the quickest route to a hospital-group scan. Insurers usually want a GP referral and an authorisation number first. See self-referral.
For a knee in Brighton, Vista Health's Marina site takes self-referral at national prices and has a large car park; Nuffield Health Brighton listed £590 for one part with a referral on 5 October 2026. Knee scans are feet first.
How long is the NHS wait for an MRI in Brighton?
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and other hospitals across Sussex. NHS England's diagnostics waiting times data for July 2026 (DM01, published 10 September 2026) show that 21.4% of people waiting for an MRI had already waited six weeks or more. That is the England figure; the trust's own figure is in NHS England's monthly provider data.
How do I get to a scanning centre in or near Brighton?
Brighton's hills, narrow streets and paid parking make travel time worth checking. Brighton Marina has a large car park and regular buses from the city centre. The east-side hospital site is reached by road from Kemp Town or Woodingdean. If you live in Hove, Worthing or mid Sussex, compare travel times to sites to the north or west before choosing.
If you live in Hove or Portslade, the Marina is at the opposite end of the seafront, so allow time for traffic along the coast road. People in Lewes, Worthing or the Weald may find a site outside the city easier to reach; compare travel time as well as price before you choose.
Will a Brighton knee scan report say whether I need surgery?
No. The radiologist describes what the images show, such as a meniscal tear, a ligament injury or cartilage thinning. Whether that needs surgery depends on your symptoms, your examination and what you want to get back to. Many meniscal tears seen on MRI, especially in people over 40, are managed without an operation. Take the report to a physio, GP or knee surgeon, ideally the person who examined you, and ask what it changes.
Should I see a physio in Brighton before a knee MRI?
Often, yes. A physiotherapist's examination can tell you whether your knee problem is likely to be something a scan would change, such as a meniscus or ligament tear after a twisting injury, or something that usually gets better with rehabilitation. Many private physios in and around Brighton can refer you for a scan if they think it is needed, and they can then read the report with you. If you book a scan first, decide now who will explain the report.
Can I have a knee MRI in Brighton after knee surgery or a replacement?
Usually, after surgery such as an arthroscopy or ligament reconstruction, yes; the screws and anchors used are mostly MRI-safe, but the centre will want the details. A metal knee replacement is different: it distorts the images around it, so many radiologists prefer other tests, and some Brighton centres will not scan a replaced knee at all. Tell the centre the date and type of any operation when you book, and bring the operation note if you have it. If a surgeon is asking for the scan, ask whether they want a particular protocol.
Back to the main private knee MRI page, or see other cities.
Where can I get a private MRI in Brighton?
On 5 October 2026, Vista Health listed a Brighton Marina site, and Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital listed £590 for one part with a referral.
Is parking easy at Brighton MRI sites?
Brighton Marina has a large car park. Elsewhere in the city parking is often limited and paid, so check before you go.
Can I book a private knee MRI in Brighton without a GP?
Yes, at dedicated centres that take adult self-referral for knees. A Brighton hospital-group site will usually want a letter from a GP, consultant or physio.
Can a replaced knee be scanned in Brighton?
Sometimes, but a metal replacement distorts the images and some centres will not scan it. Give the centre the implant details first.
Want one Brighton centre to call you? Request a private MRI.