Private MRI scans in Northampton
Choice matters when you are paying for your own scan. In Northampton you can see what is available and what it costs before committing, with no GP referral to wait on. Wellingborough, Kettering, Daventry and Towcester all sit close by, and the M1 and A45 thread past the county town. MRI is the scan used for joints, spinal discs and soft tissue injuries.
Northampton private MRI scan costs
Private MRI prices start from £185. Wherever you end up booking, a clinician consultation and your referral are part of the package.
How do I book a private MRI scan in Northampton?
Everything happens online. Enter your postcode and the scan you want, or work from the map, and compare the centres that come up against their prices. Booking is a short form, safety questions included, followed by payment. After that we schedule the appointment and get your results to you. No GP referral required.
Why book with us?
Booking takes minutes online. A clinician rings within hours, and the scan follows within days. That speed comes from the largest medical imaging network in the UK, hundreds of locations nationwide, with no referral needed to use it. Nothing sits on a waiting list, so you pick the date and the place. Results are digital and easy to pass to your healthcare professional.
Preparation for MRI scans
You will not have much to do in the days before an MRI. Fasting is asked for occasionally, but it is not part of the standard routine. Pick out soft, comfortable clothing free of metal fastenings, so nothing with buttons, toggles or zips, and be ready to change into a gown if you are asked. Metal and the scanner's magnets do not mix, which means glasses, jewellery, watches, belts, wallets, phones and the rest of your personal items stay outside. Extra preparation may apply if you have an implanted device such as a pacemaker, purely as a safety measure. Instructions covering your own scan arrive beforehand. Contrast scans have one additional requirement, a recent blood test showing kidney function, because it is the kidneys that clear the gadolinium contrast agent from your system.
The procedure
Before anything starts, the radiographer running your scan will walk you through it. These are trained specialists, and the whole procedure is in their hands. You lie flat on a bed that moves you inside the doughnut-shaped scanner, holding still while the images are taken. The time varies with the area being scanned, between 15 and 90 minutes. Contrast goes in via an IV where it is needed. Scanners make a racket, so music is usually offered, and the radiographers speak to you over headphones.
How long does it take?
Plan for anything between 15 and 90 minutes. Two things move that figure: the number of body areas on the list, and whether contrast is used. Your clinician and your chosen centre will give you a firmer estimate before the day.