| Centre type | From-price | Referral rule | Report time | Source | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
- No centre we checked publishes a separate MRA MRI price, so these are general one-area guide prices. Ask the centre whether a MRA scan counts as one area and whether it needs contrast.
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: MRA. 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.
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What is an MRA scan?
MRA stands for magnetic resonance angiography: an MRI scan set up to show blood vessels. It can be done with or without contrast. It is used to look at the arteries of the brain (for example for an aneurysm), the neck arteries that supply the brain, the arteries to the kidneys, or the arteries of the legs. It shows narrowing, blockages, swellings (aneurysms) and abnormal connections.
MRA is a specialist scan. It is usually ordered for a specific reason, such as a family history of brain aneurysms, symptoms of narrowing in the neck arteries, or to plan treatment.
When should I not wait for a private scan?
Sudden severe headache, sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, slurred speech or loss of vision need 999 now. Those can be signs of a stroke or a bleed.
Do I need a referral for an MRA?
Usually, yes. MRA protocols differ for each part of the body, and results are acted on by a neurologist, vascular surgeon or stroke specialist. We did not find a centre that publishes a self-referral MRA price. See GP letter.
How much does a private MRA cost?
No centre we checked publishes a separate MRA price, so the table shows general one-area guide prices. On 5 October 2026: Circle Health Group from £347; Nuffield Health guide prices for one part £400 to £620; Dorset County Hospital's NHS private patient tariff £577.50 for one part plus a contrast charge, before consultant fees. MRA is often added to a brain or neck scan and priced as an extra area. Contrast MRA costs more. Ask for a written quote. See contrast.
What happens during an MRA?
It depends on the area. A brain MRA is like a brain MRI with extra sequences and often needs no contrast. Neck, kidney and leg MRAs often use contrast, injected through a small needle in your arm. Expect 20 to 45 minutes.
What should I ask before booking?
- Which vessels, and with or without contrast?
- Is it priced as a separate area from a brain or neck scan?
- Who reads it? A neuroradiologist or vascular radiologist should.
- Will the report go to the specialist who will act on it?
What is an MRA scan?
An MRI scan set up to show blood vessels, such as the arteries of the brain, neck, kidneys or legs.
How much does a private MRA cost?
No centre we checked published a separate price. General one-area prices on 5 October 2026 ran from £347 to £620, and MRA is often charged as an extra area.
Do I need a referral for an MRA?
Usually yes, from a specialist who will act on the result.
Want one centre to call you? Request a private MRI. Free for you; the centre may pay us.