A chest CT scan, also called a CT thorax, uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of your chest. Compare private clinics that offer it and send an enquiry to the one you choose.
Search CT providers near youThe NHS describes a CT scan as a test that uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of the body. A scan of the chest may be written as a CT thorax, a CT chest or a CT scan of the chest.
FindScan is a directory, not a clinic. We list private imaging providers across the UK, show each clinic's own listed price as the clinic sets it, and pass your enquiry to the clinic you pick. This page explains what a chest CT involves, the rules that apply because it uses ionising radiation, and what to ask before you choose a clinic. For a longer read, see our guide CT chest scan explained.
A chest CT produces detailed images of the inside of the chest, including the lungs. The NHS explains that chest X-rays often cannot tell the difference between cancer and other conditions, which is one reason a CT scan is usually the next test after a chest X-ray when lung cancer is being investigated.
A CT scan produces images, not a diagnosis. The images are reviewed by an appropriately qualified clinician, and what they show is considered alongside your symptoms, your examination and any other tests you have had.
The NHS lists several general reasons for having a CT scan. They apply to the chest as they do to other parts of the body:
For suspected lung cancer, the NHS says a chest X-ray is usually the first test and a CT scan is usually the next. If you have not yet had an X-ray or seen a GP about your symptoms, that is usually the place to start. Our private X-ray page and our guide to MRI versus CT explain how the tests differ.
A private scan does not replace medical advice. The NHS page on symptoms of lung cancer sets out when to get help:
The NHS also notes that these symptoms are often caused by other conditions. Our guide on seeing a GP before a scan covers this in more detail.
If you are thinking about a chest CT because you smoke or used to smoke, look at NHS lung cancer screening first. The NHS says the government has announced that targeted lung cancer screening will be rolled out across England. You can have it if all of the following apply to you:
Eligible people may be contacted by their GP or a local NHS service. If the lung health check finds you are at higher risk of lung cancer, you may be invited for a CT scan of your lungs. The NHS says screening aims to find lung cancer early, sometimes before you have symptoms. A private chest CT is different: it is a diagnostic scan that has to be referred and justified for you as an individual, as explained below.
CT uses ionising radiation, so it is covered by the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017, known as IR(ME)R. Under these regulations every exposure must be requested by a referrer, who supplies the relevant medical information, and justified by a practitioner as showing a sufficient net benefit before it can go ahead. Where relevant, anyone who could be pregnant must also be asked whether they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
That means no clinic can carry out a chest CT simply because you ask for one. Private clinics often arrange the referral through their own doctor or a clinical review of your symptoms and history. Each clinic explains how it handles this, so ask when you send your enquiry. Our guide on scans without a GP referral explains why MRI and ultrasound are treated differently.
Some chest CT scans use a contrast medium, a dye that improves the quality of the images. The NHS says that a CT scan to investigate lung cancer is done after an injection of contrast medium. Whether your scan needs contrast depends on the question being asked, and the clinical team decides this as part of justifying the scan.
If contrast is injected, the NHS says you may feel hot and flushed, notice a metal taste in your mouth or feel as if you are peeing when you are not. These feelings usually pass quickly. Tell the clinic about any allergies before your appointment.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes typical doses for common X-ray and CT examinations. It gives a typical effective dose of 8 mSv for a CT chest, which it compares with about 3.6 years of natural background radiation. The UK average background dose is 2.1 mSv per year.
The NHS says that if you have lots of CT scans, there is a very small chance the radiation from the X-rays can cause cancer. That is why each scan must be justified for the person having it. Tell the clinic about any scans you have had recently. Our guide to X-ray radiation safety explains dose in more detail.
The clinic will send instructions. The NHS says preparation for a CT scan can include following a special diet, taking certain medicines or not eating for several hours beforehand, and you will need to remove metal such as jewellery and clothes with zips. Tell the clinic in advance if:
A radiographer carries out the scan. You lie on a flat bed and keep as still as you can while the images are taken, and you may be asked to hold your breath for a short time. The NHS says a CT scan usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes. Its lung cancer page describes a chest CT for that purpose as painless and taking 10 to 30 minutes.
Your images are reported by an appropriately qualified clinician. The clinic will tell you how long its report takes, who receives it and who will talk you through it. A report may recommend more tests or a follow-up scan.
Prices vary by clinic. The main factors are whether contrast is used, the type of scanner, how the referral and clinical review are arranged, the region and what the price includes, such as the report. FindScan shows each clinic's own listed price, without mark-up. Read more in private CT scan costs in the UK.
Search for CT clinics near you, compare what each one lists, and send an enquiry to the clinic you choose. FindScan passes your details to that clinic, which then contacts you about referral, suitability, preparation and availability. FindScan does not carry out scans, give medical advice or take bookings or payments.
See CT clinics near you or read more about private CT scans.
Yes. Thorax is the medical word for the chest, so a CT thorax, a chest CT and a CT scan of the chest all describe a CT scan of the same area. The request may also say whether contrast is used.
No. CT uses ionising radiation, so under IR(ME)R every scan must be requested by a referrer and justified before it goes ahead. Private clinics often arrange this through their own doctor or a clinical review, but there is always a referral and justification step.
UKHSA gives a typical effective dose of 8 mSv for a CT chest, which it compares with about 3.6 years of natural background radiation in the UK. If you have questions about the dose for your own scan, ask the clinic.
Start with the NHS. If you are aged 55 to 74, a current or former smoker and registered with a GP, you may be able to have NHS lung cancer screening where lung health checks are offered. If you have symptoms, such as a cough for longer than 3 weeks, see a GP.
Tell the clinic if you are or might be pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding. IR(ME)R requires the clinic to ask about pregnancy where relevant, and the clinical team will decide whether the scan is appropriate.
FindScan is a directory and enquiry service, not a healthcare provider, and nothing here is medical advice. Speak to a GP or another clinician about your symptoms.