| 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 sacroiliac joint MRI price, so these are general one-area guide prices. Ask the centre whether a sacroiliac joint 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: sacroiliac joint. 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 does a sacroiliac joint MRI show?
The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect the base of the spine (the sacrum) to the pelvis, one on each side. An SI joint MRI shows inflammation in the bone next to the joints, erosions, and changes from past inflammation. It is mostly ordered by rheumatologists looking for axial spondyloarthritis, a type of inflammatory arthritis that often starts before the age of 45 and causes back pain that is worse in the morning and better with movement.
It is also sometimes used for buttock pain after pregnancy or injury. For ordinary lower back pain, a lumbar spine scan or no scan is more usual; see lumbar spine MRI.
How much does a private sacroiliac joint MRI cost?
We could not find a centre that publishes a separate SI joint price, so the table shows general one-area guide prices. SI joints are often imaged as one area, both sides together, sometimes with the lower spine. On 5 October 2026, Circle Health Group said its MRI prices start from £347; Nuffield Health guide prices for one part were £400 to £620 at the sites we checked; Dorset County Hospital's NHS private patient tariff listed £577.50 for one part before consultant fees. Ask for a quote that names the SI joints.
Do I need a referral for a sacroiliac MRI?
Usually, yes. An SI joint scan uses specific sequences that a rheumatologist or spinal specialist asks for, and the report is most useful when read with blood tests and your history. Some dedicated centres may accept self-referral for a pelvis or lower back scan, but check that the protocol covers the SI joints. See GP letter.
What happens during an SI joint MRI?
You lie on your back with your pelvis in the middle of the scanner. Expect 20 to 40 minutes. Contrast is not usually needed. Tell the centre about any metal in the pelvis, hips or spine.
What should I ask before booking?
- Does the quote name the SI joints and the specific sequences my specialist wants?
- Is the lower spine included or separate?
- Who will read the report? A radiologist with musculoskeletal experience is helpful.
- Will the report go to my rheumatologist?
Is an SI joint MRI worth paying for?
It depends on whether a specialist will act on it. If you think you may have inflammatory back pain, a GP can arrange blood tests and a rheumatology referral. A private scan without a rheumatologist to interpret it may not move things on.
How much does a sacroiliac joint MRI cost privately?
No centre we checked publishes a separate price. General one-area prices on 5 October 2026 ran from £347 to £620. Ask for a quote that names the SI joints.
Do I need a referral for an SI joint MRI?
Usually yes. It is mostly ordered by rheumatologists, who ask for specific sequences.
What does an SI joint MRI look for?
Mostly inflammation and changes linked to axial spondyloarthritis, a type of inflammatory arthritis.
Want one centre to call you? Request a private MRI. Free for you; the centre may pay us.