Specialist neurophysiology · United Kingdom
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) - millisecond timing, millimetre precision.
A non-invasive functional brain scan that measures the tiny magnetic fields your neurons generate. Used mainly to plan epilepsy surgery - and, at Nottingham, in a wearable OPM form that is quietly rewriting the field.
Indicative pricing
What a MEG scan costs in the UK.
NHS-funded via specialist commissioning for epilepsy pre-surgical workup at the designated centres. Private ranges below reflect the four active UK sites.
In short
Pre-surgical epilepsy MEG in the UK: NHS-funded at commissioned centres, private from £2,800.
| Scan | Indicative range | Typical duration | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical MEG - epilepsy pre-surgical (NHS-commissioned) | NHS-funded via specialist commissioning | 60–90 min | 2–4 weeks |
| Clinical MEG - private / self-funded | £2,800–£5,500 | 60–90 min | 2–3 weeks |
| MEG + simultaneous high-density EEG | £3,500–£6,500 | 90 min | 2–3 weeks |
| MEG for eloquent cortex mapping (pre-surgical) | £3,200–£6,000 | 90 min | 2–3 weeks |
| Structural MRI for co-registration | £350–£650 | 30 min | 2–5 days |
| Neurology consultation | £250–£500 | 45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by centre, by whether task-based paradigms are added, and by whether a structural MRI already exists. NHS access for pre-surgical epilepsy workup is via your neurologist and epilepsy surgery MDT - we help chase referrals that have stalled.
The problem
The rarest scan in the country, and often the one that changes surgery.
There are four active UK MEG centres. Waits are real, referrals stall, and neurologists outside the epilepsy surgery world are often unsure when to ask for one. We help you work out whether MEG is the right test - and then we help arrange it.
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MRI-negative epilepsy?
Your MRI looks normal but the seizures are focal. MEG can find the irritative zone that structural imaging misses.
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Surgery being considered?
MEG source-localises the epileptogenic zone, guides intracranial EEG placement, and maps eloquent cortex to protect.
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Not sure if you qualify?
Not every case needs MEG. If high-density EEG has localised well and the MRI shows a clear lesion, we say so.
When it helps
When MEG is the right scan.
Mostly pre-surgical epilepsy and eloquent cortex mapping - plus a growing research role. And one thing MEG is definitely not for.
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Refractory focal epilepsy
Seizures that continue despite two or more anti-seizure medicines - MEG helps localise the epileptogenic zone before surgery.
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MRI-negative epilepsy
Focal epilepsy where the MRI looks normal - MEG can find the irritative zone that structural imaging misses.
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Complex lesional epilepsy
Multiple lesions or extensive dysplasia where scalp EEG cannot separate the primary generator from bystanders.
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Pre-surgical eloquent cortex mapping
Motor, sensory, language or memory areas mapped before tumour resection or epilepsy surgery - so the surgeon knows what to protect.
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Guiding intracranial EEG placement
MEG source localisation informs where the neurosurgeon places depth electrodes for stereo-EEG.
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Paediatric epilepsy workup
Children under evaluation at GOSH - with OPM-MEG allowing movement, this is increasingly practical for younger patients.
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Post-concussion and TBI (research)
Emerging research use in traumatic brain injury where MRI is normal but symptoms persist.
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Red flag: MEG is not for headaches
MEG is not a general "brain check". If you have new headaches, weakness or vision change, that is an MRI + neurology conversation - same-week, not months.
Scan types
SQUID, OPM, and what each is actually for.
The clinical workhorse, the emerging wearable, and the paradigms that get run on either.
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SQUID-MEG (standard clinical)
Superconducting sensors in a helmet-shaped dewar cooled by liquid helium. The workhorse of clinical MEG - used at York, Aston, UCL and GOSH.
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OPM-MEG (wearable, emerging)
Optically-pumped magnetometers built into a light, head-conforming helmet. Works at room temperature, allows movement - Nottingham leads the UK/global rollout.
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MEG for epilepsy
Resting recording captures interictal spikes; source-localises the irritative zone; co-registered to your MRI for the surgical team.
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MEG for eloquent cortex
Task-based recordings - finger tapping, listening, silent language tasks - map the areas the surgeon must protect.
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MEG + simultaneous EEG
Almost always paired. EEG catches sources MEG misses (deep and radial); MEG gives the millimetre spatial precision EEG cannot.
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Paediatric OPM-MEG
The head-conforming OPM helmet is far more child-friendly than a rigid SQUID dewar. Movement is tolerated. GOSH and Nottingham lead this work.
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Research MEG
Dementia, psychiatry, ADHD, autism, TBI - the evidence base is growing, and access is via research programmes rather than clinical referral.
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Consultation only
An honest discussion of whether MEG will change your management - or whether high-density EEG, fMRI or waiting on further MRI is the right next step.
Safety and limits
No radiation, no injection - the trade-offs are elsewhere.
MEG is one of the safest scans in medicine. The trade-offs are cost, waits, and the fact that it sees the cortex better than the deep midline.
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Non-invasive, no radiation
MEG measures the magnetic fields your own neurons generate. There is no injection, no radiation, no contrast, no risk to a pregnancy from the recording itself.
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No sedation for adults
You sit still for the recording. Children may need the same sedation approach as MRI - the OPM helmet makes this less often necessary.
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No claustrophobia issues
The magnetically-shielded room is a small quiet room, not a tunnel. You sit upright, not enclosed.
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Metal and magnetic items removed
Jewellery, hairpins, dental retainers and some cosmetics interfere with the signal. Fixed dental work and orthopaedic implants are checked case-by-case.
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Pacemakers and neurostimulators
Not a safety issue for MEG itself, but they generate large magnetic artefact. The physicist reviews your case before booking.
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Limitations to know
MEG sees superficial cortex better than deep midline sources. It is not a substitute for MRI or intracranial EEG - it complements them.
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Wait times are real
There are four UK centres and analysis is labour-intensive. Realistic timelines are two to four weeks to record, then one to two more for the report.
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Not every case needs MEG
If high-density EEG has localised the focus well and the MRI shows a clear lesion, MEG may not change management. A good neurologist says so.
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Red flags
MEG is a planning test, not an emergency test. Acute neurological deterioration goes to A&E and MRI, not to a MEG booking.
Reading your MEG report
Your MEG report in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever centre and whichever system, the report the neurophysiologist and neurologist send keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Source-localisation language is technical and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the report before your MDT discussion, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and centre
Why the MEG was done - pre-surgical epilepsy workup, eloquent cortex mapping, or research - and which UK centre performed it.
- 02 Technique
System, tasks and simultaneous EEG
Whether it was SQUID or OPM, resting or task-based, the duration, and whether simultaneous scalp EEG was recorded.
- 03 Findings
Source localisation and MRI co-registration
Where the interictal spikes localised - mapped onto your own MRI - and how confident the analysis is.
- 04 Impression
What this means for surgery and next steps
Read this first: whether the findings support resection, guide intracranial EEG placement, or point to a different management plan.
Recognised by major UK insurers
MEG cover varies by insurer and indication. Most NHS pre-surgical epilepsy MEG is via specialist commissioning; private cover is usually reserved for cases discussed at an insurer-approved epilepsy surgery MDT.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about MEG.
Quick answers on what MEG is, where to get one, how it differs from EEG and fMRI, and what the wait actually looks like.
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What is magnetoencephalography (MEG)?
MEG is a non-invasive functional brain scan that measures the tiny magnetic fields - femtoteslas - generated by electrical activity in your neurons. It gives millisecond timing and millimetre spatial precision, and unlike EEG the magnetic signals are not distorted by the skull.
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How is MEG different from EEG and fMRI?
EEG has excellent timing but poor spatial precision (5–10 cm). fMRI has millimetre spatial precision but is slow (seconds), because it measures blood flow rather than neuronal firing. MEG is the only technique that combines millisecond timing with millimetre spatial precision.
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Who needs a MEG scan?
Most clinical MEG in the UK is for pre-surgical evaluation of drug-resistant focal epilepsy - particularly MRI-negative or complex cases - and for mapping eloquent cortex (motor, sensory, language, memory) before brain surgery.
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Where in the UK can I get a MEG?
The main clinical sites are York Neuroimaging Centre, Aston Brain Centre in Birmingham, UCL FIL in London, and Great Ormond Street for paediatrics. Nottingham leads OPM-MEG (wearable) research. It is one of the rarer scans in the country - availability is limited.
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What is OPM-MEG?
Optically-Pumped Magnetometer MEG uses room-temperature sensors built into a light, head-conforming helmet. You can move your head, it fits children better, and it does not need liquid helium. The Nottingham QuSpin team is pioneering it in the UK and globally.
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Is MEG safe? Does it use radiation?
MEG is completely non-invasive. There is no radiation, no injection, no contrast, and no MRI-strength magnet. It simply measures the magnetic fields your brain already produces. You sit upright in a quiet shielded room.
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How much does a private MEG cost in the UK?
For epilepsy pre-surgical workup, MEG is NHS-funded via specialist commissioning at the designated centres. Privately or self-funded, expect £2,800–£5,500, or £3,500–£6,500 with simultaneous high-density EEG. A structural MRI (£350–£650) is needed for co-registration.
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How long does a MEG scan take?
The recording itself is 30–60 minutes, plus 20–30 minutes for preparation and head-position markers. Analysis and source localisation take several more days - the report is not the same day.
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