Private MRI Help Needed

davidshaw565

Hey Folks,

I have been diagnosed with a small syrinx in my spine and a bulging disc about 7 years ago. I have started with bad back ache and i am getting burning and tingling pain in my arms and legs, my doctor thinks it is nerve pain causing the burning and tingling. My doctor has offered to refer me for an MRI of the whole spine, but it could take 8 weeks sadly on the NHS.

I kindly wondered if anyone knows of a private MRI unit in the West Yorkshire area, with reasonable pricing. I am based in Huddersfield, if anyone could help i would be very thankful. I am very depressed and concerned about my pain and i really feel this scan would be helpful.

I know my local Spire hospital does scans and i will be enquiring tomorrow about the price, but i know numerous family members have stated, it can be extremely expensive.

Thank you so much for your time and your support, any help i would be forever grateful for. I really want to hopefully feel better soon.

Kind Regards,

David

calleyw

Try you local NHS hospital with the equipment.


About 13/14 years ago my husband needed nasal surgery and it would have taken approx 18 months to get it. Needed to wait 6 months for the scan and another 12 months for the op.


The same NHS hospital that would have done the scan for us on the NHS did it for us within 2 weeks and cost about £400. Went in for about 8am. Husband ended up having the op with same time scale of just having the scan due to having the private scan.




A Quick google of West Yorkshire area private mri scan in nhs hospital found this


http://www.airedale-trust.nhs.uk/services/private-patients-2/


Yours


Calley x

davidshaw565

Hi Calley,

Thank you so much for your support, your reply is very helpful.

I just worry that if i wait 8 weeks, that my symptoms could be much worse. Regarding my local NHS hospital, how would you approach them please, contact the radiology department directly?

Thank you also for the second link you provided a heartfelt thanks to you.

Kind Regards,

David

splishsplash

Private Imaging suites/centres are widespread these days. Alliance Medical have a centre in Bradford. They have a downloadable price list on that site and are a reputable group. Your GP should be able to refer you.

Disclaimer: I'm in Ireland. I've used Alliance Medical and my GP or physio could refer directly, not sure about your systems. Cost for one part in Ireland is €220; yours seem to be more expensive in the UK.

davidshaw565

Thank you splishsplash for your reply.

I did find a private imaging suite / centre near me at Securescanners .com they seem reasonable do you think it would be worth dropping them a message? You get your report interpreted and a CD of the scan too.

I will take a look at Alliance Medical also, thanks again.

calleyw

davidshaw565 wrote: »

Hi Calley,

Thank you so much for your support, your reply is very helpful.

I just worry that if i wait 8 weeks, that my symptoms could be much worse. Regarding my local NHS hospital, how would you approach them please, contact the radiology department directly?

Thank you also for the second link you provided a heartfelt thanks to you.

Kind Regards,

David

David,


Best bet contact radiology direct. I can't remember what we did but his NHS consultant recommended the course of action so think he gave us the details. I did feel a bit guilty that we jumped the queue for the scan but we did pay for it. And it helped move him up the list for his op quicker. Sadly we did not have the money to pay for that as we would have done.



But at that point my husband had no sense of taste or smell and was hardly eating. And he was slim enough at it was. So totally understand about the not wanting to wait.


If I remember rightly they did the scans early morning, evenings and weekends to use the scanner when its not being used the NHS.


I wish you the best of luck.


Yours


Calley x

splishsplash

davidshaw565 wrote: »

Thank you splishsplash for your reply.

I did find a private imaging suite / centre near me at Securescanners .com they seem reasonable do you think it would be worth dropping them a message? You get your report interpreted and a CD of the scan too.

I will take a look at Alliance Medical also, thanks again.

Yes, contact them to find out about their referral pathways and prices. All MRI providers will have radiologists who interpret the reports. These reports are sent to the referrer. You normally get a copy of the CD which is useful to bring with you to subsequent appointments. A written copy of the report is useful too - request one from your GP.

Bear in mind if you get the whole spine scanned it will count as three parts - expensive.

Good luck with the results.

Cyclizine

It's not the MRI that will be the major wait (or cost) but the referral to the specialist once it is done. If you've had this for 7 years, then can you not wait another two months?

pmduk

Check with your GP whether the NHS will act on your private scan. There have been stories that once you have started down the private route everything needs to be private. NB I'm not sure if this is true and I'd be happy to be proved wrong, but its best to check upfront.

KxMx

I'd go ahead and ask your GP for the referral.

Up to 8 weeks doesn't mean it will take as long as 8 weeks.

Once you get an appointment you can ring the clinic and ask to be put on the cancellation list.

Never_Enough_Money

Hi


I have an ongoing back problem which involved a slipped disc and then spinal fusion surgery, I can tell you the longer your nerve is compressed the more change you have of ongoing / long term nerve damage, the NHS takes a long time to get a scan, then referral to the consultant then a waiting list if this requires surgery, this can take up a minimum of a year to achieve all of these steps dependant on the waiting times in your area, it does in mine (Hampshire)


I would get the MRI scan done privately if at all possible, does your hospital offer a private service, lots of NHS ones do. I have met people in private clinics who have seen an NHS consultant after getting private scans done. Also I had all of my surgery / injections/ scans done privately then transfered to the NHS when I no longer had private medical care, they used all of the info / scans from the private clinics / consultants when they saw me in the NHs clinics, I don't really think that is any different to you getting the scan done and read privately then being referred to the NHS consutlant



Feel free to PM me if I can be of any more help