CT KUB kidney stone scan cost in the UK: what you pay privately (2026)

A private CT KUB is a low-dose, non-contrast CT of the kidneys, ureters and bladder that is the standard test for kidney and ureteric stones, showing their size and position.

Hospital price pages give a first idea of scale. The CT KUB kidney stone scan entries we retrieved sat between £525 to £875; the rows below show which hospital and which variant each figure refers to.

None of these numbers is an offer to treat. Providers confirm a final price after assessment, and consultant or anaesthetist fees may be set separately.

The scan is done without contrast, so there is no cannula and usually no preparation beyond a pregnancy check. You lie on the table while the scanner passes over the abdomen and pelvis, and the whole scan takes a short time.

The report states whether stones are present, their size and position, and whether the kidney is swollen. A urologist uses those details to choose between waiting for the stone to pass, shockwave treatment or a telescope procedure, which have very different costs.

A single guide figure for CT KUB kidney stone scan can mislead, because the final amount depends on factors like these.

• Low-dose protocol: stone scans use reduced radiation, and a centre without it may default to a standard abdominal CT.

• Urgency: a scan for acute renal colic is usually done in an NHS emergency department; private pricing applies to planned imaging.

• Hospital price: the one-part CT prices differ between hospitals by hundreds of pounds.

• Same-day report: reporting speed can matter for treatment planning.

• Follow-up: a stone needing treatment leads to a urology consultation and procedures such as ureteroscopy or lithotripsy.

Providers define a package differently, so two quotes are only comparable once you line up what each covers. The table lists what is typically in and what is often billed separately for this procedure.

Insurers normally cover CT KUB on referral for suspected stones. Check whether the scan and urology consultation are covered.

Insurers often agree a procedure code and a fee ceiling in advance. Self-pay patients should ask whether instalment finance is offered and what the total repayable would be, as the representative rate and terms differ by lender.

In the NHS, suspected renal colic is assessed in urgent care or A&E with CT KUB as the standard imaging, and planned follow-up through urology.

NHS care is free at the point of use, and for non-urgent consultant-led treatment the standard is 18 weeks from referral. You also have the right to choose where you are referred in England. Local waits differ, so ask what applies near you.

No recovery from the scan. You may be advised to drink plenty of fluids and to strain urine, and treatment costs depend on stone size.

No one plans for things to go wrong, but a short conversation about extra costs now can save difficulty later.

• A scan finds stones but does not treat them, so the larger cost may be the procedure to remove or break them.

• Severe loin pain with fever, shivering or vomiting needs same-day emergency care, as an infected blocked kidney can be dangerous.

Quotes only compare fairly when they cover the same things. Put these questions to every provider you approach.

• Is the CT KUB a low-dose protocol?

• How quickly is the report available?

• What does the urology review and treatment cost if a stone needs removal?

• Is the scan included in a stone-clinic package?

• Will I receive one price covering the hospital, the consultant and the anaesthetic, or several bills from different parties?