Concierge nuclear-medicine imaging · London
Molecular breast imaging (MBI), Tc-99m sestamibi imaging for dense breasts and problem-solving.
Molecular breast imaging (MBI) uses Tc-99m sestamibi to image breast tissue. Complements mammography in women with dense breasts and is used as a problem-solving test for suspicious findings and post-surgical scars.
Why patients choose us
- 01
The right hands
A consultant nuclear medicine physician or breast radiologist reports every MBI — the person who reads it decides the answer.
- 02
Modern low-dose systems
Our partners use current-generation dual-head MBI cameras with reduced isotope doses and optimised acquisition.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Key facts
What molecular breast imaging is, in six lines.
The essentials — what MBI is, what it adds to mammography, and who reports it.
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Definition
Tc-99m sestamibi breast imaging — a functional nuclear-medicine test of breast tissue.
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Modern low-dose MBI
Current dual-head gamma cameras have materially reduced the isotope dose vs older systems.
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Sensitive in dense breasts
Detects lesions that mammography can miss in category C and D density breasts.
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Complements mammography and MRI
Used alongside — not instead of — mammography, ultrasound and breast MRI.
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IV isotope injection required
A small intravenous injection of Tc-99m sestamibi is given before imaging.
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Reported by breast specialists
Read by a nuclear medicine physician or breast radiologist, at MDT where indicated.
Indicative pricing
What private MBI costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A standard private MBI in our network: £850–£1,400, with the written report typically within 48 hours.
| Scan type | Indicative range | Typical duration | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard molecular breast imaging (MBI) | £850–£1,400 | 45–60 min | 48 hours |
| MBI with breast MDT review | £1,100–£1,700 | 60 min | 3–5 days |
| MBI + consultant breast opinion | £1,300–£2,000 | 90 min | Same visit |
| MBI for problem-solving (equivocal mammogram) | £950–£1,500 | 60 min | 48 hours |
| Post-neoadjuvant response MBI | £1,000–£1,600 | 60 min | 48 hours |
| Urgent same-week MBI | £1,100–£1,800 | 60 min | Same-week |
Prices vary by clinic, whether MDT review or a same-visit consultant breast opinion is included, and by urgency. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The journey
From referral to a structured plan — what happens, in order.
One concierge from the referral to the MDT-approved plan — often within days.
Phase 1 · Before your scan
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
~60 minutes at the clinic
Phase 3 · After
MDT, report, plan
- 01
Before
Referral from breast clinic
A breast clinician or GP refers you — we handle everything from that point on.
- 02
Before
IV Tc-99m sestamibi injection
A small intravenous injection of the radiotracer is given in the imaging suite.
- 03
On the day
5–10 minute wait
A short uptake window while the tracer distributes through the breast tissue.
- 04
On the day
Gamma-camera imaging, bilateral
You sit at a dual-head MBI camera; both breasts are imaged in gentle compression.
- 05
On the day
Multiple projections
Craniocaudal and mediolateral-oblique views of each breast — typically 4 acquisitions.
- 06
After
Reporting by breast MDT
A consultant nuclear medicine physician or breast radiologist reports, discussed at MDT where indicated.
- 07
After
Structured plan
A clear next step — reassurance, follow-up imaging, or a biopsy pathway.
Typical end-to-end: 3–7 days. Urgent cases: same week.
What it shows
When MBI is the right test.
MBI answers a functional question — where is breast tissue metabolically active. These are the presentations we see most.
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Malignant breast lesion (focal uptake)
Focal tracer uptake is the classic MBI sign of a malignant breast lesion.
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DCIS
Ductal carcinoma in situ can show characteristic segmental or linear uptake.
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Post-surgical scar vs recurrence
Differentiates avascular scar tissue from a metabolically active recurrence.
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Occult primary breast cancer
Identifies a primary in patients presenting with axillary metastasis and negative mammography.
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Dense breast disease workup
Adds sensitivity in category C and D density breasts where mammography is limited.
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Response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Tracks metabolic response before and after neoadjuvant treatment.
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Fibroadenoma with MBI uptake
Some benign lesions such as fibroadenomas can show low-level uptake — context matters.
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Red flag: focal uptake in high-risk patient — MDT and biopsy pathway
Focal uptake in a BRCA-positive or high-risk patient triggers same-week MDT and biopsy.
Treatment options
What follows an abnormal MBI.
MBI findings are a starting point — the treatment pathway sits with the breast MDT.
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MRI or contrast-enhanced mammography
Cross-sectional characterisation of an MBI-detected lesion where the anatomy needs clarifying.
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US-guided or stereotactic biopsy
Tissue diagnosis under ultrasound or stereotactic guidance for suspicious findings.
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Wide local excision
Breast-conserving surgery for localised, resectable disease.
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Mastectomy
Considered for multi-focal, large or genetically-driven disease.
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Sentinel-node biopsy
Axillary staging at the time of primary surgery.
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Adjuvant chemotherapy / radiotherapy
Systemic and local adjuvant therapy per MDT-directed protocols.
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Endocrine therapy
Tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors for hormone receptor-positive disease.
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Structured breast MDT
Every finding is discussed at a formal breast MDT, and you get a written plan.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of clinics, we picked them.
Partners across central London with modern low-dose MBI systems and a formal breast MDT. Introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every clinic in our network.
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Consultant nuclear medicine physicians or breast radiologists
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Modern low-dose dual-head MBI gamma cameras
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Reporting integrated with a formal breast MDT
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Onward surgical, oncology or genetics pathway if disease is confirmed
Red flags
When an MBI finding needs urgent action.
The findings that shorten the pathway — same-week MDT, staging, or urgent biopsy.
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Focal uptake in high-risk patient
BRCA-positive or strong family history with focal MBI uptake — same-week MDT and biopsy pathway.
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Multi-focal disease
More than one focus of uptake — changes surgical planning materially.
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Contralateral occult primary
Uptake on the opposite side in a patient presenting with unilateral disease.
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Post-surgical recurrence
New focal uptake in or around a prior lumpectomy scar bed.
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Post-radiotherapy fibrosis vs recurrence
MBI helps distinguish avascular radiotherapy fibrosis from metabolically active recurrence.
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Male breast cancer
Focal uptake in male breast tissue — rare, but always warrants urgent biopsy.
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BRCA-positive with dense breasts
Screening adjunct in high-risk women where mammography is limited by density.
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Locally advanced disease
Extensive uptake with skin or chest-wall involvement — triggers staging and neoadjuvant planning.
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Metastatic breast cancer
Distant disease on MBI or associated imaging — an urgent oncology referral.
Reading your report
An MBI 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 breast clinician, 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 scan, and the clinical or family-history context that shapes interpretation.
- 02 Technique
Isotope dose and acquisitions
Injected activity of Tc-99m sestamibi, uptake time and the projections acquired for each breast.
- 03 Findings
Uptake pattern, laterality, morphology
Focal, segmental, linear or diffuse uptake — vessel by vessel, with size and quadrant.
- 04 Impression
The conclusion: read this first
Benign, indeterminate or suspicious, with the concrete next step — biopsy, MRI, or interval follow-up.
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 MBI.
Quick answers on what MBI is, when it’s used, radiation, timing, and what happens if it’s abnormal.
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What is molecular breast imaging (MBI)?
A functional nuclear-medicine test of the breast: a small intravenous injection of Tc-99m sestamibi is given, then a dual-head gamma camera acquires images of both breasts. Malignant tissue takes up more tracer and shows as focal uptake.
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When is MBI used instead of mammography or MRI?
MBI complements mammography and MRI — it doesn’t replace them. It’s most useful in women with dense breasts, for problem-solving equivocal mammograms, distinguishing scar from recurrence, and finding occult primary cancers.
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Does MBI involve radiation?
Yes — a small dose of Tc-99m sestamibi is given intravenously. Modern low-dose MBI systems have materially reduced the dose vs older systems, but it remains a nuclear-medicine test with a whole-body radiation dose to consider.
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How long does the scan take?
You wait 5–10 minutes after the injection while the tracer distributes, then imaging takes 40–45 minutes for four projections. Plan on around an hour in the department in total.
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Is MBI painful?
The IV injection is a small needlestick. Imaging uses light breast compression — much lighter than mammography — for each projection. Most patients find MBI more comfortable than mammography.
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What happens if MBI shows focal uptake?
Focal uptake is discussed at breast MDT. The next step is usually correlation with mammography and ultrasound, and a targeted biopsy — ultrasound-guided if there’s a sonographic correlate, stereotactic or MBI-guided if not.
Sources
The guidance this page is built on.
- British Society of Nuclear Medicine.
- European Association of Nuclear Medicine.
- Royal College of Radiologists.
- Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.
Published 2026-07-30. Next review 2027-07-30. Reviewed by Pulse Atlas Editorial Board, .
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In practice, in London
The honest picture around molecular breast imaging in London
With molecular breast imaging, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it — not whether the scan is available. On the NHS, molecular breast imaging typically sits behind a triage step and a wait that can stretch from a few weeks into months. In London’s private sector, the same appointment often lands within days. That speed matters when symptoms are disrupting work, sleep, or a plan you’d already committed to — and it’s the single most common reason people call us in the first place.
In practice, a private molecular breast imaging 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 molecular breast imaging specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.
There are a lot of consultants in London who can technically handle molecular breast imaging. Fewer who do it week in, week out for the exact question you’re bringing. We spend most of our time working out which is which — and being straight when a different test or a different specialist would serve you better. Everything runs to CQC, GMC and Royal College standards; the choice is about fit, not floor.
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