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CT scans, the menu - how to choose the right CT for your symptom or body region.

A menu of CT scans by body region and clinical question. This guide helps you choose the right CT - brain, chest, coronary, abdomen, pelvis, spine, urogram, virtual colonoscopy - based on your symptoms and referral question.

A modern private CT suite in a London clinic

Key facts

  • 03

    Independent, and free

    We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.

  • Menu of CT scans by body region and clinical question

  • Modern scanners are fast (seconds) and low-dose

  • IV contrast added for vascular, oncology and infection

  • Fasting for contrast studies (clear fluids only, 4 hours)

  • Choose by clinical question, not body region alone

  • Complementary to MRI, ultrasound and nuclear medicine

Indicative pricing

What private CT scans cost in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£350–£1,600, reported the same day.

Scan type Indicative range
CT head £350–£600
CT chest £450–£800
CT coronary angiogram (with calcium score) £850–£1,600
CT abdomen and pelvis (with contrast) £650–£1,100
CT spine (region) £450–£800
CT urogram £600–£1,000
CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) £700–£1,200

Prices vary by clinic, region imaged, and whether contrast is used.

Red flags

When a private slot isn’t the right route.

These presentations need blue-light imaging, not a private booking - 999, not us.

  • Acute stroke

  • Ruptured AAA

  • Bowel perforation

  • Contrast anaphylaxis

  • Contrast-induced nephropathy

  • Missed occult malignancy

  • High cumulative radiation dose

  • Post-op complication

  • Sepsis workup

What it shows

Which CT answers which question.

A quick map from symptom or clinical question to the CT protocol that answers it best.

  • CT head - stroke, trauma, tumour

    First-line brain imaging for suspected stroke, head injury and intracranial mass.

  • CT chest - lung, mediastinum

    Nodules, infection, interstitial change, pulmonary embolism and mediastinal disease.

  • CT coronary - CAD, calcium score

    Non-invasive assessment of coronary anatomy and plaque, with calcium scoring.

  • CT abdomen and pelvis - organs, staging

    Solid organs, bowel, vessels and nodes - the workhorse for pain, infection and cancer staging.

  • CT spine - fracture, disc, alignment

    Bony detail after trauma, degenerative change and pre-operative planning.

  • CT urogram - haematuria workup

    Dedicated four-phase study of kidneys, ureters and bladder for blood in the urine.

  • CT colonography - virtual colonoscopy

    CT of the prepped, insufflated colon - an alternative when optical colonoscopy is declined or incomplete.

  • Red flag: acute stroke, ruptured aneurysm - emergency pathway

    Do not wait for a private slot. Call 999 immediately - these need blue-light imaging.

Scan types

The full CT menu, one card at a time.

What each option on your referral is actually for.

  • CT head

    Non-contrast brain CT for acute presentations; contrast-enhanced for tumour, infection or vascular work-up.

  • CT chest

    High-resolution or contrast-enhanced chest CT - for nodules, PE, interstitial disease and mediastinal masses.

  • CT coronary angiogram

    ECG-gated cardiac CT with calcium score - non-invasive assessment of coronary artery disease.

  • CT abdomen and pelvis

    Portal-venous phase study of the abdominal organs, bowel, vessels and pelvic structures.

  • CT spine

    Cervical, thoracic or lumbar CT for bony detail, fracture assessment and surgical planning.

  • CT urogram

    Multi-phase renal-tract CT - the reference test for macroscopic haematuria.

  • CT colonography

    Virtual colonoscopy with bowel prep and gas insufflation, reported on a dedicated 3D workstation.

  • CT angiography (any region)

    Arterial-phase CT for the aorta, carotids, pulmonary, renal, mesenteric or peripheral vessels.

Next steps

What happens after the report.

  • Reassurance for a normal scan

    A normal, well-targeted CT is a genuine reassurance - we say so plainly, without upsell.

  • Multi-disciplinary review for cancer

    Any suspected malignancy is discussed at the appropriate MDT before you are asked to decide anything.

  • MRI for further characterisation

    CT is fast and detailed; MRI is often the next step for soft-tissue, neurological or hepatobiliary questions.

  • Biopsy planning

    Where a lesion needs tissue, CT-guided or ultrasound-guided biopsy is arranged with an interventional radiologist.

  • Surgical planning

    Multi-planar and 3D reconstructions are shared directly with the operating surgeon.

  • Radiotherapy planning

    For oncology cases, images and report are sent to the treating clinical oncologist for planning.

  • Structured follow-up imaging

    Interval CT - where indicated by guideline - is scheduled up front, not left to chance.

  • Contrast and radiation caveats

    Contrast anaphylaxis is rare but real; kidney function is checked; dose is kept as low as reasonably achievable.

Reading your report

A CT report can look intimidating. It isn’t.

Whatever the region and whatever the finding, every CT report keeps to the same four parts.

A consultant radiologist reviewing CT images on a clinical workstation at a UK private clinic

A quiet reminder

The report is written for your doctor, not for you - and that’s normal.

If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and clinical question

    Your details, the referral question, and any relevant history that shapes interpretation.

  2. 02 Technique

    Region, protocol, contrast, dose

    Which region was imaged, the CT protocol, contrast used, and the recorded radiation dose.

  3. 03 Findings

    Systematic region-by-region description

    Organ-by-organ, vessel-by-vessel, with measurements and comparison to any prior imaging.

  4. 04 Impression

    The conclusion: read this first

    The answer to the referral question and the concrete next step - read this first.

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Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about the CT menu.

Quick answers on choosing the right CT, cost, safety, and how CT compares with MRI.

  • How do I choose the right CT scan?

    By the clinical question, not the body region alone. A CT head for suspected stroke is very different from a CT head for sinus disease.

  • What is the difference between CT scan and CT scanning?

    They describe the same modality. CT scan is the singular test; CT scanning is the technique. Our full patient guides are at /tests/ct-scan and /tests/ct-scanning - this page is the menu that helps you pick between different CT studies.

  • How much does a private CT scan cost in London?

    A CT head or spine region typically starts at £350–£600; abdomen and pelvis £650–£1,100; CT coronary angiogram £850–£1,600.

  • Do I need a referral?

    Most private CT clinics accept self-referral, but a clinical question makes for a better scan.

  • Is CT safe? What about the radiation dose?

    Modern scanners use much lower doses than a decade ago, and dose is tuned to the region and question. A single well-indicated CT is safe; the practical caution is avoiding repeated, unnecessary scans over time.

  • CT or MRI - which do I need?

    CT is fast and excellent for bone, lung, acute bleeding, vascular anatomy and abdominal emergencies. MRI is better for brain and spinal cord, soft tissue, joints, liver and gynaecological detail. Often they are complementary - the referral question decides.

Sources

Related tests

Looking for a different test?

In practice, in London

How CT scans tends to unfold when you go private

With CT scans, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. Waiting lists on the NHS for CT scans vary widely by borough and by how the GP letter reads. Privately in London, we can normally offer a slot inside the same week, sometimes within 48 hours if there’s a cancellation. The difference isn’t clinical quality - the consultants are frequently the same faces you’d see on the NHS - it’s the calendar.

In practice, a private CT scans appointment in London means a named consultant, a proper hour in the room (or the equivalent on a video call), and a report you can actually read. Most of the imaging suites and endoscopy units we use sit within a mile of Harley Street or in Chelsea and Fulham, and turnaround on findings is measured in days, not weeks. For CT scans specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

Honesty about expectations is part of the job. A private CT scans appointment in London won’t change the underlying medicine - the guidelines, the consultants, and the equipment are largely the same as on the NHS. What it changes is speed, continuity, and the amount of time you get to actually talk through the findings. Everyone we route to is GMC-registered and works within CQC-regulated facilities.