A CT abdomen and pelvis scan uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of your tummy and pelvis. Compare private clinics that offer it and send an enquiry to the one you choose.
Search CT providers near youA CT abdomen scan, often requested as a CT abdomen and pelvis, is a form of computed tomography of the abdomen and the pelvis together. The NHS describes a CT scan as a test that takes detailed pictures of the inside of your body. The request may be written as a CT abdomen pelvis or an abdomen and pelvis scan, and may say whether contrast is used.
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 CT abdomen and pelvis 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 abdomen and pelvis explained.
A CT abdomen and pelvis produces detailed images of the inside of your tummy and pelvis. NHS pages mention it in several situations. For example, the NHS says adults with severe pain that could be caused by kidney stones, who are referred to hospital for an urgent scan, should be offered a CT scan. It also says a CT scan may be used to confirm diverticular disease or diverticulitis and to rule out other conditions, and lists a CT scan among the tests that may follow if bowel cancer is suspected.
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 abdomen and pelvis as they do to other parts of the body:
Other tests may come first, depending on your symptoms, and your GP is usually the best person to advise.
A private scan does not replace medical advice. The NHS page on stomach ache sets out when to get help:
Our guide on seeing a GP before a scan covers this in more detail.
CT uses ionising radiation, so it is covered by the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017, known as IR(ME)R. Under these regulations the referrer must supply the relevant medical information, and every exposure must be 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 CT abdomen and pelvis simply because you ask for one. Many private clinics 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.
Some CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis use a contrast medium, a dye that helps certain tissues show up more clearly. The NHS says contrast may be given as a drink, an injection or an enema. Whether your scan needs contrast, and which type, depends on the question being asked, and the clinical team decides this as part of justifying the scan.
If you need a contrast drink, you may be asked to arrive early. Cambridge University Hospitals, for example, tells patients who need it that they will be given 2 cups on arrival, each sipped slowly over 30 minutes. If contrast is injected, the NHS says you may feel hot and flushed or notice a metal taste in your mouth. These feelings usually pass quickly. Tell the clinic about any allergies, and about kidney problems, 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 10 mSv for a CT abdomen or pelvis, which it compares with about 4.5 years of natural background radiation. The UK average background dose is 2.1 mSv per year. For comparison, UKHSA gives 8 mSv for a CT chest.
The NHS says that if you have lots of CT scans, there is a very small chance the radiation could cause cancer, and that doctors weigh this against the benefit of the scan. 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 or not eating for several hours beforehand, and you will need to remove metal such as jewellery. Cambridge University Hospitals, for example, asks patients who need a contrast drink not to eat for 4 hours before their appointment. Tell the clinic in advance if:
A radiographer carries out the scan from a separate room and can talk to you throughout. You lie on a flat bed and keep as still as you can, and you may be asked to follow breathing instructions. The NHS says a CT scan usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes. Cambridge University Hospitals tells patients to expect to be in the department for between 30 minutes and an hour, including preparation, the scan and time afterwards.
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.
Asking the same questions of each clinic makes listed prices easier to compare:
Prices vary by clinic. The main factors are whether contrast is used, 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.
It is a CT scan, a form of computed tomography, that covers the tummy and the pelvis in one examination. The NHS describes a CT scan as a test that takes detailed pictures of the inside of your body.
No. CT uses ionising radiation, so under IR(ME)R every scan must have a referrer and be justified before it goes ahead. Many private clinics arrange this through their own doctor or a clinical review, but there is always a referral and justification step.
Sometimes. The NHS says contrast may be given as a drink, an injection or an enema, depending on the scan. If you need a drink, you may be asked to arrive early and sip it over a set time. The clinic will tell you.
UKHSA gives a typical effective dose of 10 mSv for a CT abdomen or pelvis, which it compares with about 4.5 years of natural background radiation in the UK. Ask the clinic if you have questions about your own scan.
The NHS says a CT scan usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes. If you need a contrast drink, allow extra time: one NHS hospital tells patients to expect to be with it for 30 minutes to an hour.
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.