How to Get Your Scan Images and Report

Many people go looking for a way to view their scan results online and find that nothing is there. Often that is because the results are held by the organisation that did the scan, and there are two separate things to ask for: the report, which is a written description of what the scan shows, and the images, which are the pictures the scanner produced.

This guide explains the difference between the two, how to ask a private clinic or the NHS for copies, what the law says about your right to see your health records, and how to share the results with your GP.

The report and the images are not the same thing

Every diagnostic scan is reported by an appropriately qualified clinician. The report sets out what they found and is the part your GP or specialist will use to decide what happens next. For most people, the report is what they actually need.

The images are the scans themselves. CT, MRI and X-ray images are large files that normally need viewing software to open properly, and on their own they are hard to interpret without clinical training. They are most useful when another clinician needs to look at them, for example a specialist you are seeing for a second opinion, or a hospital that wants to compare a new scan with an earlier one.

Can I view my scan results online?

It depends on who did the scan. The NHS App shows results for many tests ordered by your GP, such as blood and urine tests. The NHS App help pages list having a test done privately among the reasons a result may not appear in the app, and note that some results from tests ordered by a hospital may be available through a separate linked service instead.

The NHS App help pages say to contact your GP surgery if you need a copy of your test results or health record. For a private scan, ask the clinic directly. Some clinics offer an online patient portal or a secure download link for reports and images; others send a disc or a paper copy. Each clinic sets its own process, so ask before your appointment if online access matters to you.

Your legal right to see your health records

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says the Data Protection Act gives you the right to see your health records by making a subject access request. It explains that health records can include anything from the notes made by a GP to the results of an MRI scan or X-rays, and that this covers records made by health professionals in the private sector as well as the NHS.

According to GOV.UK, the organisation must give you a copy of the data it holds about you as soon as possible and within 1 month at most, although it can take a further 2 months for particularly complex or multiple requests. Requests are usually free, but an organisation can charge an administrative cost in some circumstances, for example if you ask for a large amount of information.

How to ask a clinic for your report and images

The ICO says you can make a request online, by email, by post, over the phone or face to face. Writing it down gives you a record. The ICO suggests including:

• a subject line saying "subject access request" and the date
• your name, any previous names, and your contact details
• any reference that helps identify you, such as your NHS number or a patient number from the clinic
• exactly what you want, for example "the radiology report and the images from my knee MRI", with the date of the scan
• how you would like to receive it, for example electronically or printed and sent by post

The ICO also recommends keeping a record of when you made your request and who you spoke to. If you only want the report, or only the images, say so, so the clinic knows exactly what to send.

Sharing your results with your GP

If you had a scan privately, do not assume your GP has seen it. Ask the clinic whether it will send the report to your GP, or take a copy to your appointment yourself. Our guide to seeing a GP before a scan explains why it helps to keep your GP involved, and how long scan results take covers what usually happens after a scan.

Talk the report through with the clinician who requested the scan rather than relying on the images alone. If you develop new or worsening symptoms while you wait, contact your GP or NHS 111, and call 999 in an emergency.

Where FindScan fits in

FindScan is a directory and enquiry service. We do not carry out scans and we do not hold scan reports or images, so requests for your results need to go to the clinic that scanned you.

If you are still choosing a clinic, it is worth asking how it shares reports and images before you go ahead. You can compare clinics near you, see each clinic's own listed price, and send an enquiry to the one you choose. Our FAQs explain how enquiries work.