How much does a CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) cost privately in the UK? (2026)

A CT pulmonary angiogram uses contrast injected into a vein and a fast CT scan to look for blood clots in the arteries of the lungs, and is the standard test for suspected pulmonary embolism, which is usually an emergency.

We did not find a reliable published price list for CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA), so this guide gives no pounds-and-pence figure. Prices vary widely between hospitals and clinicians, and any number quoted without a named source should be treated with caution.

A cannula is placed in your arm and you lie on the CT table while a pump injects contrast timed to fill the lung arteries. You hold your breath for a few seconds while images are taken.

Because a clot is time-critical, ask the provider how quickly the report is issued and what happens if a clot is found, including who takes over your care.

Clinicians use a clinical probability score and sometimes a D-dimer blood test before scanning, because a scan is not needed for everyone with chest pain or breathlessness. If the score is low and the D-dimer is normal, a scan may be avoided, which spares radiation and cost.

Pregnancy, kidney disease and contrast allergy change the choice of test, and a lung scan using a radioactive tracer is sometimes preferred. That is a different test with different pricing and availability.

The headline figure hides several moving parts. In the case of CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA), the following tend to decide where a quote lands.

• Emergency pathway: suspected pulmonary embolism is normally assessed in an NHS emergency department, where the scan is free, so a private scan is relevant mainly for planned follow-up or specific situations.

• Contrast and kidney function: contrast is essential, and a blood test of kidney function is often needed beforehand.

• Hospital pricing: published CT prices differ by hospital, and a CT with contrast listed at one centre was priced above a CT without contrast.

• Radiologist reporting: urgent reports are expected to be rapid.

• Further tests: leg vein scans, echocardiography and blood tests are common companions.

A fixed price is only as useful as its small print. Here is how the common items tend to divide between included and extra.

Insurers cover CT pulmonary angiography when it is clinically indicated, though emergency care belongs in the NHS pathway.

Insured patients should confirm the benefit limit, the excess and whether the consultant is on the insurer list. Self-funders can compare a fixed package price against an itemised estimate, and ask whether credit is available.

NHS emergency departments and acute units assess suspected pulmonary embolism using risk scores, a blood test and CT scanning, at no cost, usually within hours.

If you are weighing private against NHS care, remember that NHS referral gives you a right to choose a provider in England and an 18-week standard for non-urgent treatment. Check current waits in your area before deciding.

There is no recovery from the scan, and you may be asked to drink extra fluids after contrast. Treatment of a clot with blood thinners is a separate pathway.

Ask your provider to explain, in writing if possible, what is covered if the course of care changes.

• A scan can show incidental findings such as small lung nodules, which may need follow-up scans that add to cost.

• Sudden breathlessness, chest pain on breathing or coughing blood are emergencies; call 999 or go to A&E rather than arranging a private scan.

Ask each provider for an itemised written estimate, then put them side by side. These questions are specific to this procedure.

• Is this a planned scan or an emergency assessment?

• How quickly will the report be issued?

• What happens if a clot is found?

• Do I need a kidney test first?

• Is the consultant fee, anaesthetist fee and hospital fee shown separately, and are any of them estimated rather than fixed?