| 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 MRCP MRI price, so these are general one-area guide prices. Ask the centre whether a MRCP 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: MRCP. 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 MRCP scan?
MRCP stands for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. It is an MRI scan of the bile ducts, the gallbladder and the pancreatic duct. It shows gallstones that have moved into the bile duct, narrowing of the ducts, and some problems with the pancreas, without a camera test or radiation. It is often ordered after blood tests or an ultrasound suggest a problem with bile drainage, or after an episode of pancreatitis.
MRCP is a diagnostic scan. If it shows a stone that needs removing, that is done with a separate procedure (ERCP) in hospital.
Do I need a referral for an MRCP?
Usually, yes. MRCP is ordered by a GP, a gastroenterologist or a surgeon, and the result is acted on by them. We did not find a centre that publishes a self-referral MRCP price. See GP letter.
How much does a private MRCP cost?
No centre we checked publishes a separate MRCP 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 before consultant fees. An MRCP is sometimes combined with a liver or pancreas scan with contrast, which costs more. Ask for a written quote.
How do I prepare for an MRCP?
Centres usually ask you not to eat or drink for several hours beforehand, so the gallbladder is full and the stomach is empty. Some give you a drink just before the scan to darken the stomach and bowel on the images. Follow your centre's own instructions. You will hold your breath many times for short periods. Expect 20 to 40 minutes.
When should I get urgent help?
Yellowing of the skin or eyes with fever and shivering, or severe upper abdominal pain, needs urgent assessment through NHS 111, your GP or A&E.
What should I ask before booking?
- Fasting instructions and how long.
- Is it MRCP alone, or with a liver or pancreas scan and contrast?
- Who reads it, and will the report go to my specialist?
- If a stone is found, who arranges the next step?
What is an MRCP?
An MRI scan of the bile ducts, gallbladder and pancreatic duct, without a camera test or radiation.
How much does a private MRCP cost?
No centre we checked published a separate price. General one-area prices on 5 October 2026 ran from £347 to £620.
Do I need to fast before an MRCP?
Usually for several hours. Follow your centre's own instructions.
Want one centre to call you? Request a private MRI. Free for you; the centre may pay us.