Private Scans for Children: What's Possible and What Isn't

Some private centres scan children, many do not, and the ones that do usually set a minimum age of around five or six. Most will want a referral even where they accept adult self-referrals. Sedation and general anaesthetic are hospital work. Check all three before you book anything.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you are worried about a child's symptoms, speak to a GP or call 111.

Age limits are the first thing to check

There is no single industry rule, and policies differ more than people expect. One London imaging centre states it can generally accept MRI referrals for children from six years of age, because by then a child can usually keep completely still for the length of the scan. A private paediatric MRI service at a children's hospital advertises scans for those aged five to eighteen.

At the other end, hospital groups with full paediatric services will scan newborns upwards, though not at every site — some of their locations only take children aged three and over.

So "can a child have an MRI privately" has no general answer. It has a per-centre answer, and it is the first question to ask when you enquire.

Why the limit exists

It is about stillness, not size. An MRI sequence runs for minutes at a time, and movement blurs the images enough to make the scan useless. A child who cannot stay still produces a study nobody can report, and you have paid for it anyway.

Centres that scan younger children invest in getting round this: play specialists who prepare the child, films or audiobooks during the scan, a parent in the room where it is safe, ear protection, a call bell in the child's hand, a familiar metal-free toy. Those things work, and they are worth asking about specifically.

MRI is also loud and enclosed. Our guide to what to expect from an MRI scan is worth reading with an older child beforehand — knowing what the noise sounds like takes a surprising amount of the fear out of it.

Sedation and general anaesthetic

If a child genuinely cannot lie still, the options are sedation or general anaesthetic, and those need an anaesthetist, monitoring and a recovery area. Standalone imaging centres are not built for that.

Private hospitals with paediatric services are. One London private hospital runs a dedicated general anaesthetic service for paediatric patients over four months old, uses a feed-and-wrap approach for infants under four months so they can be scanned asleep without sedation, and tries to scan children over six without anaesthetic at all.

The practical point: if sedation is likely to be needed, you are looking for a private hospital with paediatric anaesthetic cover, not a high-street scanning centre. Asking early saves a wasted enquiry and possibly a wasted appointment.

Referral rules are stricter for children

Adults can usually self-refer for MRI and ultrasound, because neither uses ionising radiation and the referrer requirement in the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 does not apply to them. That is explained in our guide to self-referral for private MRI.

For children, most providers ask for a referral anyway. The imaging centre quoted above requires the referral before it will proceed at all, so it can plan the scan. The children's hospital service states that a referral from a GP or consultant is mandatory before an appointment can be confirmed. A hospital group's paediatric MRI service requires a referral letter from a GP or other registered health professional.

For CT, X-ray, DEXA or mammography the referral is not a preference but a legal requirement, for children and adults alike: IR(ME)R 2017 requires a registered healthcare professional, entitled under the provider's own procedures, to act as referrer.

Who can consent

NHS guidance is clear that people aged 16 or over are entitled to consent to their own treatment, and that children under 16 can consent if they have enough understanding to appreciate what is involved — the test usually called Gillick competence.

Where the child cannot or does not consent themselves, consent comes from someone with parental responsibility: a parent, a legal guardian, or someone holding it by court order. NHS guidance notes that by law only one person with parental responsibility needs to give consent.

Clinics vary in what they want to see, particularly where surnames differ or parents are separated. Ask in advance what identification or documentation they expect, so you are not turned away at reception.

Radiation, and why ultrasound comes first

Children are more sensitive to ionising radiation than adults, and any exposure has to be justified by a practitioner before it happens under IR(ME)R. That is one reason ultrasound and MRI are so often the first choice in children.

Ultrasound is quick, needs no sedation, uses no radiation, and was running from about £69 to £540 for one area in September 2026, against roughly £249 to £840 and up for a single-region MRI. Those are ranges taken from UK providers' own websites and they change.

Whether ultrasound will answer the question is a clinical decision, not a budget one. But it is a reasonable thing to raise with the doctor who is arranging the scan.

What to ask before booking

• What is your minimum age for this scan, at this site?
• Do you need a referral, and from whom?
• Who will consent, and what do you need to see?
• Is sedation or general anaesthetic available if it turns out to be needed?
• Will the report be written by someone who reports children's imaging?

That last one is easy to forget and genuinely matters. Paediatric imaging is reported differently from adult imaging, and it is fair to ask who will be reading it.

When not to book a scan at all

If a child has a sudden severe headache, a head injury with drowsiness or vomiting, difficulty breathing, a stiff neck with a rash, severe abdominal pain, or seems seriously unwell, that needs urgent medical assessment now. Call 111, or 999 if they are very unwell. Do not arrange a scan and wait for the appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Can a child have a private MRI in the UK? Yes, but not everywhere. Standalone imaging centres commonly set a minimum age of around five or six, because the child needs to lie still unaided. Younger children are usually scanned in hospitals with paediatric services, where anaesthetic support exists.

Will a private clinic scan my child without a referral? Usually not. Many providers that accept adult self-referrals for MRI still require a referral from a GP or consultant for under-18s, so they can plan the scan properly. Assume a referral is needed and check when you enquire.

Who has to consent? Someone with parental responsibility, unless the young person consents themselves. NHS guidance says people aged 16 or over can consent to their own treatment, and under-16s can if they have enough understanding. Legally only one person with parental responsibility needs to agree.

Is sedation available privately? Rarely outside hospitals. Sedation and general anaesthetic for imaging need paediatric anaesthetic cover and recovery facilities, which standalone imaging centres do not have. Some private hospitals run a dedicated paediatric anaesthetic service; most high-street scanning centres do not.

Is ultrasound better for children? It is often the sensible first test. It uses no ionising radiation, needs no sedation, is quick, and is much cheaper than MRI. Whether it answers the question depends entirely on what is being looked for, which is a decision for a doctor.

If you know which scan a child needs, you can check which centres near you take under-18s and what they charge before making the call.