Concierge radiology · London
Digital fluoroscopy, real-time X-ray imaging for barium studies, joint injections and vascular access.
Digital fluoroscopy uses low-dose real-time X-ray to guide contrast studies (barium swallow, small-bowel follow-through), image-guided joint injections, arthrograms, HSG and vascular / interventional procedures. Modern flat-panel detectors give sharper images at lower dose.
Why patients choose us
- 01
The right hands
We route you to a consultant radiologist experienced with fluoroscopy — the operator who runs the study reads it and decides the answer.
- 02
Low-dose, modern kit
Flat-panel digital detectors give sharper images at meaningfully lower radiation dose than legacy image-intensifier systems.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
The problem
Fluoroscopy is only as good as the operator behind the screen.
Real-time imaging is a live decision — where to inject, when to expose, when to stop. We route you to a consultant radiologist experienced with the specific study on your referral.
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Swallowing or bowel-transit concern?
Barium studies and videofluoroscopy answer motility and structural questions endoscopy cannot.
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Joint or spinal pain?
Image-guided injection places the drug precisely where it needs to go — not near it.
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Fertility work-up?
HSG remains a mainstay test of tubal patency, and it is a fluoroscopy study.
The journey
From enquiry to report — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to report — often within days.
Phase 1 · Before your study
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
15–45 minutes at the clinic
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
Consultation and referral
A short, confidential form. Symptoms, prior imaging, referral or insurer if you have them.
- 02
Before
Preparation depends on the study
Fasting for barium studies; bladder-filling for VCUG; specific cycle timing for HSG. We spell out exactly what your study needs.
- 03
On the day
Change into a gown
You change into a clinic gown and remove any metal or dense items in the field of view.
- 04
On the day
Contrast introduced
Oral, rectal, intravenous or intra-articular contrast depending on the study — the radiologist explains each step.
- 05
On the day
Real-time imaging during the procedure
Low-dose fluoroscopy runs continuously so the radiologist can watch and guide as the study unfolds.
- 06
On the day
Post-procedure imaging
Additional still images or delayed sequences are captured where the study calls for them.
- 07
After
Radiologist report
A written report from the reporting consultant radiologist, with onward pathway if a follow-on step is needed.
Typical end-to-end: 3–7 days. Urgent cases: same day.
What it shows
When digital fluoroscopy is the right test.
Fluoroscopy answers a specific class of question — the ones that need to be watched, not just photographed. These are the studies we see most.
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Barium swallow, meal and follow-through
Real-time imaging of the pharynx, oesophagus, stomach and small bowel with barium contrast.
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HSG (hysterosalpingogram)
Iodinated contrast into the uterine cavity to assess tubal patency during fertility work-up.
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Image-guided joint injection
Fluoroscopy places diagnostic or therapeutic injectate precisely into the joint space.
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Fluoroscopy-guided pain-clinic injection
Nerve-root, facet-joint and epidural injections guided in real time for accuracy.
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Angiography
Iodinated contrast into arteries or veins to map vascular anatomy and disease.
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Videofluoroscopy of swallowing
Dynamic assessment of swallowing mechanics — the reference test for suspected aspiration.
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Voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG)
Contrast into the bladder to assess vesicoureteric reflux and urethral anatomy.
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Red flag: contrast extravasation or perforation — urgent surgical review
If the study shows contrast leaving a hollow organ or vessel, an urgent surgical opinion is arranged immediately.
Study types
Not all fluoroscopy studies are the same.
What each option on your referral is actually for.
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Barium swallow
Real-time imaging of pharyngeal and oesophageal transit with oral barium contrast.
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Small-bowel follow-through
Sequential imaging as barium passes from stomach through the small-bowel loops.
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HSG (hysterosalpingogram)
Uterine-cavity and fallopian-tube patency assessment during fertility work-up.
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Image-guided joint injection
Steroid, local anaesthetic or contrast placed precisely under fluoroscopic guidance.
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Fluoroscopy arthrogram
Intra-articular contrast to enhance subsequent MRI or CT arthrography.
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Pain-clinic guided injection
Nerve-root, facet or epidural injection with real-time needle-tip visualisation.
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Diagnostic angiography
Catheter-based contrast imaging of arterial or venous anatomy.
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Videofluoroscopy of swallowing
Dynamic swallow study with speech-and-language therapy input.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of clinics, we picked them.
Partners across central, north, west and south London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every clinic in our network.
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Consultant radiologists experienced with fluoroscopic and interventional procedures
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Modern flat-panel digital detectors — sharper images at lower radiation dose
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Dose monitoring in line with Public Health England and IR(ME)R requirements
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Onward endoscopy, surgical or interventional pathway where the study demands it
Safety and eligibility
Ionising radiation, kept as low as reasonably possible.
Fluoroscopy uses X-rays, so dose matters. The practical points are preparation, pregnancy status, contrast history, and the small handful of aftercare specifics.
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Ionising radiation, kept low
Fluoroscopy uses X-rays. Modern digital systems deliver the diagnostic answer at meaningfully lower dose than legacy equipment.
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Fasting for barium
Barium swallow, meal and follow-through require fasting — usually from midnight the night before.
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Contrast reactions are rare
Iodinated contrast can very occasionally cause an allergic reaction. Prior reactions are screened at booking.
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Pregnancy
Fluoroscopy is generally avoided in pregnancy; we ask about pregnancy status before every study.
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HSG timing
Hysterosalpingography is timed to the first half of the menstrual cycle to avoid an early pregnancy.
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Post-barium bowel habit
Barium can cause temporary constipation — plenty of fluids and, if needed, a mild laxative are advised afterwards.
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Injection-site soreness
Guided joint or spinal injections can be mildly sore for 24–48 hours as the local anaesthetic wears off.
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Vasovagal reactions
Some patients feel faint during or immediately after a procedure — you rest until fully recovered.
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Bring prior imaging
Comparison against prior scans materially sharpens interpretation — bring images and reports if you have them.
Reading your report
A fluoroscopy report can look intimidating. It isn’t.
Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.
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.
- 01 Header
Indication and clinical context
Your details, the reason for the study, and the clinical question being answered.
- 02 Technique
Study performed, contrast and dose
Which study was carried out, the contrast agent and volume used, and the recorded radiation dose.
- 03 Findings
What the real-time and still images show
A structured description of anatomy, transit, filling defects, strictures, leaks or needle-tip position as relevant.
- 04 Impression
The conclusion: read this first
A plain-language summary and the concrete next step — read this first.
Next steps
After the study — the pathways we most often arrange.
The report is the beginning of a plan, not the end of one. These are the onward routes we set up when the study points to a next step.
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Structured follow-up per study
A concrete follow-up plan calibrated to the study performed and the finding.
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Onward endoscopy or surgery
Direct referral to a gastroenterologist or surgeon when the finding calls for it.
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Repeat imaging for interval change
Timed repeat imaging where the answer depends on comparison over time.
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Steroid injection follow-up
Structured review of symptom response after a guided joint or spinal injection.
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Interventional radiology referral
Referral for angioplasty, embolisation or drainage where indicated.
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Speech and language therapy
Onward SLT input after videofluoroscopy for dysphagia.
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Vascular surgery referral
Direct route to a vascular surgeon when angiography demands it.
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Multi-disciplinary team review
MDT presentation when the finding needs a coordinated specialist opinion.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover depends on your policy and clinic; we confirm with your insurer before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about digital fluoroscopy.
Quick answers on radiation dose, fasting, HSG, pregnancy and how quickly the report comes back.
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What is digital fluoroscopy?
Digital fluoroscopy is real-time X-ray imaging captured on a flat-panel digital detector. The radiologist watches contrast move through a hollow organ or a needle enter a joint as it happens, guiding the study or procedure step by step.
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How much radiation does fluoroscopy involve?
Modern flat-panel digital systems deliver a meaningfully lower dose than legacy image-intensifier equipment for the same diagnostic result. Dose is monitored on every study in line with IR(ME)R regulations.
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Do I need to fast?
Fasting is required for barium swallow, meal and follow-through studies — usually from midnight the night before. HSG, guided injections and most other fluoroscopy procedures do not require fasting.
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Is HSG painful?
HSG typically causes cramping similar to a heavy period for a few minutes as contrast fills the uterus. Simple analgesia an hour beforehand helps; the study itself takes about 15 minutes.
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Can I have fluoroscopy in pregnancy?
Fluoroscopy is generally avoided in pregnancy because it uses ionising radiation. Every patient of reproductive age is asked about pregnancy status before the study begins.
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How quickly will I get the report?
Findings are often discussed immediately after the study, with a written report from the reporting consultant radiologist typically within 24–48 hours.
Red flags
When something needs an urgent response.
A short list of findings and events that trigger an immediate clinical escalation during or after a fluoroscopy study.
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Contrast extravasation
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Bowel perforation
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Cardiovascular reaction to contrast
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Contrast anaphylaxis
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Radiation dose reaching cumulative limit
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Failed procedure (target not reached)
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Post-injection infection
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Post-procedure vasovagal
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Suspected malignancy on incidental imaging
Sources
The guidance behind this page.
- Royal College of Radiologists. Standards and clinical guidance for radiology.
- Public Health England (UKHSA). Ionising radiation guidance and IR(ME)R.
- British Institute of Radiology. Fluoroscopy and interventional radiology resources.
- Society of Radiographers. Professional guidance for radiographers.
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · Next review 2027-07-30 · Approx 6 minutes to read
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In practice, in London
Where digital fluoroscopy sits in a private London pathway
With digital fluoroscopy, 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 digital fluoroscopy 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.
A typical private booking for digital fluoroscopy in London starts with a consultant conversation — sometimes in person on Harley Street or Marylebone, sometimes on video if that suits better. Any imaging or diagnostics happen at a nearby CQC-registered facility, and reports usually land within 24 to 72 hours. The whole loop, from first call to written report, is often done inside a fortnight. For digital fluoroscopy specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.
Where a good concierge earns its keep is in the matching. There are dozens of consultants in London who see digital fluoroscopy — but not all of them are the right fit for every case. We narrow it down based on subspecialty, insurer coverage, the specific question being asked, and whether continuity into treatment matters. The right first appointment saves you from repeating yourself later.