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Urology · London

Private urodynamic studies in London, the reference test for bladder function.

Multichannel urodynamics - the reference test for stress, urge and mixed incontinence and complex LUTS, by a consultant urologist or urogynaecologist.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What private urodynamic studies cost in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£850–£1,700, with the impression on the day.

Study Indicative range
Uroflowmetry only £180–£350
Full urodynamics (multichannel) £850–£1,700
Video urodynamics £1,200–£2,400
Urodynamics + urology consult £1,100–£2,200
Post-prostatectomy urodynamics £900–£1,800
Paediatric urodynamics (specialist) £1,400–£2,800

Prices vary by unit, whether video urodynamics is required, and whether a consultant appointment is combined in the same visit.

The problem

Incontinence surgery without urodynamics is a coin toss.

Stress, urge and mixed incontinence look similar from the outside and need very different treatments. Urodynamics is the reference test that tells them apart - and NHS waits for it are long.

  • Urgency and frequency?

    A cystometry tracing shows detrusor overactivity when a bladder diary is not enough on its own.

  • Symptoms after prostate or pelvic surgery?

    Post-prostatectomy and post-mesh work-ups need video urodynamics at a suitably specialised unit.

What it shows

Find the reason that matches your symptom.

Urodynamics answers questions no bladder diary can - it measures what the bladder actually does. These are the common reasons people have the test.

  • Stress incontinence

    Objective demonstration of leakage on cough or effort - the reference test before surgery.

  • Urge incontinence

    Detects detrusor overactivity - involuntary bladder contractions - that explain urgency and leakage.

  • Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)

    Separates a storage problem from a voiding problem when symptoms are mixed and treatment is unclear.

  • Prolapse-related dysfunction

    Assesses hidden stress incontinence and voiding difficulty in women being planned for prolapse surgery.

  • Post-prostatectomy incontinence

    Distinguishes sphincter weakness from detrusor overactivity - the two need very different treatments.

  • Neurogenic bladder

    Essential in spinal cord injury, MS and spina bifida - assesses bladder pressures that can damage the kidneys.

  • Paediatric bladder work-up

    For daytime wetting, difficult voiding and neurogenic bladder in children, in dedicated paediatric units.

  • Red flag: acute retention with pain - same-day A&E

    A painfully full bladder that you cannot pass is an emergency. Go straight to A&E - not a urodynamics booking.

Study types

Not all urodynamic studies are the same.

What each option on your referral is actually for.

  • Uroflowmetry only

    A simple flow test on a special toilet, with a post-void bladder scan. Screens for obstruction and slow voiding.

  • Full multichannel urodynamics

    Filling and voiding cystometry with bladder and rectal pressure lines - the reference test for incontinence and LUTS.

  • Video urodynamics

    Multichannel study performed under fluoroscopy - adds anatomical detail for complex, post-surgical and neurogenic bladders.

  • + urology consult

    Combined slot with a consultant urologist or urogynaecologist - study, explanation and management plan in one visit.

  • Post-prostatectomy

    Tailored protocol for men with incontinence after radical prostatectomy - sphincter versus detrusor assessment.

  • Post-mesh work-up

    For women with recurrent stress incontinence or voiding difficulty after mid-urethral tape or mesh procedures.

  • Paediatric urodynamics

    Child-appropriate protocol delivered in a specialist paediatric unit with a paediatric urologist.

  • Ambulatory urodynamics

    Portable monitoring over several hours for symptoms not reproduced on conventional testing.

Safety and eligibility

Very safe - but there is real planning to do.

Urodynamics is very safe. What matters is what you drink beforehand, the bladder diary you bring, and looking after your bladder afterwards.

  • Comfortable clothing

    Wear something loose. You will change into a gown for the study and can dress straight back afterwards.

  • You drink normally beforehand

    No fasting. Drink normally so that you arrive with a comfortably full - not painful - bladder.

  • Slim catheter inserted for filling

    A thin catheter is passed through the urethra to fill the bladder with sterile water and measure pressure.

  • Small pressure catheter in rectum

    A second, very small pressure line sits in the rectum so bladder pressure can be separated from abdominal pressure.

  • Brief cough tests

    You will be asked to cough and strain at set volumes so any stress leakage can be seen and measured.

  • Possible mild UTI risk

    A small proportion of patients develop a urinary infection afterwards.

  • Antibiotic prophylaxis for higher-risk patients

    A single dose of antibiotics is given if you have had recurrent UTIs, a heart-valve replacement or a suppressed immune system.

  • Pregnancy defers testing usually

    Urodynamics is usually deferred in pregnancy unless urgent.

  • Always share prior bladder diaries

    A three-day bladder diary transforms the interpretation.

Reading your report

A urodynamics tracing can look intimidating. It isn’t.

However complex the study, the report keeps to the same four parts.

A London consultant urologist reviewing a urodynamics tracing

A quiet reminder

You will be told the impression on the day - the written report follows within a few working days.

If anything is unclear, ask your clinician to talk you through it at your next appointment.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and symptoms

    Your details, the referring symptoms - stress, urge, mixed, voiding - and the treatments already tried.

  2. 02 Technique

    Uroflow, cystometry and PFS

    How the study was done: free uroflowmetry, filling cystometry with bladder and rectal pressure lines, and a pressure-flow study of voiding.

  3. 03 Findings

    Voiding versus storage phase

    Filling-phase findings (compliance, detrusor overactivity, capacity, leak point pressure) and voiding-phase findings (flow, detrusor pressure, obstruction).

  4. 04 Impression

    Read this first

    The conclusion - stress, urge or mixed incontinence, detrusor overactivity, obstruction - and the next step in your management.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Frequently asked

Common questions about urodynamics.

Quick answers on cost, comfort, video urodynamics, risks and results.

  • What do urodynamic studies measure?

    Urodynamics measures how well the bladder stores and empties urine. It records bladder pressure, abdominal pressure, urine flow and, where indicated, the anatomy of the bladder and urethra during filling and voiding - the reference test for stress, urge and mixed incontinence and for complex lower urinary tract symptoms.

  • Is it painful?

    Urodynamics is uncomfortable rather than painful. You may feel a stinging pressure as the slim catheter is inserted, and a strong urge to pass urine as the bladder fills. It takes 60–90 minutes and no sedation is needed.

  • What is the risk of a urinary infection?

    A small proportion of patients develop a UTI after urodynamics. Drinking water freely afterwards helps, and antibiotic cover is given to higher-risk patients - recurrent UTIs, heart-valve replacements or a suppressed immune system.

  • When is video urodynamics added?

    Video urodynamics is used when the anatomy matters as much as the pressures - complex incontinence, post-prostatectomy, post-mesh surgery, neurogenic bladder in spinal cord injury or MS, and paediatric work-up.

  • How much do private urodynamic studies cost in London?

    Uroflowmetry only is typically £180–£350. Full multichannel urodynamics is £850–£1,700. Video urodynamics is £1,200–£2,400. A combined study with a consultant urology or urogynaecology appointment is £1,100–£2,200.

  • Do I need a referral?

    Urodynamics is usually arranged after a consultation with a consultant urologist or urogynaecologist so the right protocol is chosen.

  • What about pregnancy?

    Urodynamics is usually deferred in pregnancy unless there is an urgent reason.

  • How quickly will I get results?

    Your consultant explains the tracing and the impression on the day. A written report follows within a few working days, and it should be turned into a management plan.

  • When is a bladder diary enough?

    A three-day bladder diary and a symptom questionnaire are often enough for straightforward urgency or stress incontinence before conservative treatment. Urodynamics is reserved for mixed symptoms, failed treatment, and before surgery.

  • When should I see a GP urgently?

    Go to A&E if you cannot pass urine and your bladder is painfully full (acute retention). See a GP urgently for new blood in the urine, unexplained pelvic pain, or incontinence after prostate or pelvic surgery.

Related tests

Looking for a different test?

In practice, in London

Booking urodynamic studies privately in London - what actually happens

With urodynamic studies, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. The NHS route for urodynamic studies is thorough, but the queue is real. Many patients are told to expect anywhere from a handful of weeks to several months, depending on their local trust and how the referral is graded. Going private in London usually collapses that window to a matter of days - often the same week if the diary allows. It isn’t about jumping a queue so much as buying time back while you still have the flexibility to plan around it.

A typical private booking for urodynamic studies 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 urodynamic studies specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

The value is knowing which consultant reads this particular presentation best, which unit turns reports around fastest, and which pathway won’t hit a dead end if the findings point somewhere unexpected.