Private neck MRI scan (cervical spine MRI)

A neck MRI scan, often listed as a cervical spine MRI, uses an MRI scanner to take detailed pictures of the part of your spine that sits in your neck. It is usually requested when neck pain comes with arm or hand symptoms, or to look more closely at a possible disc or nerve problem.

FindScan is a directory and enquiry service. We do not carry out scans or give medical advice. We list private clinics that offer MRI, show each clinic's own listed price, and pass your enquiry to the clinic you choose.

What a neck MRI scan shows

The NHS describes an MRI scan as a test that takes detailed pictures of the inside of your body. It is used to help find out what is causing symptoms, to check bones and organs, and to see how well a treatment is working.

For the neck, the scan covers the cervical spine: the vertebrae, the discs that sit between them, and the spinal cord and nerve roots that run through the area. MRI does not use ionising radiation. Our guide to MRI vs CT explains how the two compare.

Common reasons a neck MRI is requested

A neck MRI is usually requested to look into a specific problem. NHS pages describe several neck conditions where tests or scans can play a part:

• Slipped disc. Also called a prolapsed or herniated disc, this is when a soft cushion of tissue between the bones in your spine bulges outwards. It can cause neck pain, and numbness or tingling in the shoulders, arms or hands. The NHS says that if your symptoms do not get better, you may be referred for further tests, like an MRI scan.
• Cervical radiculopathy. This is where a nerve in the neck is pinched by a slipped disc or bone. The NHS lists pins and needles in an arm alongside neck or arm pain, and heaviness or weakness in the arms, as reasons to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.
• Cervical myelopathy. This means a problem with the spinal cord in the neck. Several symptoms the NHS lists as reasons to call 999, such as new problems walking or a sudden lack of co-ordination, need emergency assessment rather than a private scan.
• Cervical spondylosis. The NHS describes this as a common condition, often in people over 40, that can cause neck and shoulder pain or stiffness that comes and goes. Depending on your symptoms, you may be sent for other tests such as X-rays or scans.

The NHS says surgery is only considered for cervical spondylosis if a nerve is being pinched by a slipped disc or bone, or if there is a problem with the spinal cord. Only the clinician assessing you can say whether an MRI is the right test.

When a scan is usually not the first step

The NHS says most neck pain only lasts a few weeks. Common causes include the neck locking in an awkward position while sleeping, bad posture, a pinched nerve and injuries such as whiplash. For cervical spondylosis, the NHS describes neck exercises, posture changes and painkillers as the usual starting point, with physiotherapy if symptoms continue.

In many areas you can get help such as physiotherapy from NHS community musculoskeletal (MSK) services without needing a referral from a GP. A GP or physiotherapist can examine you and decide whether imaging is likely to change your treatment. Our guide to seeing a GP before a scan covers this in more detail.

When to see a GP, call 111 or call 999

• See a GP if neck pain or stiffness does not go away after a few weeks, painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen have not worked, you are worried about the pain, or you have other symptoms, like pins and needles or a cold arm.
• Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have severe neck pain that starts suddenly or is getting worse quickly, heaviness or weakness in your arms or legs, pins and needles in an arm as well as pain in your neck or arm, or pain between your shoulder blades.
• Call 999 if you have new problems walking, loss of bladder or bowel control, or a sudden lack of co-ordination, for example with buttoning a shirt. Also call 999 if someone's face droops on one side, they cannot lift up both arms and keep them there, or they have difficulty speaking.

If you have any of the urgent or emergency symptoms above, do not wait for a private scan.

Do you need a referral for a private neck MRI?

MRI does not use ionising radiation, so the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IR(ME)R), which apply to X-ray and CT, do not apply to it. Many private clinics accept self-referral for MRI, usually after their own safety screening, but each clinic sets its own policy. Some ask for a referral letter, and some offer a review with their own doctor first.

See our guide to private MRI without a GP referral.

Preparing for your scan and safety

The NHS advises not wearing anything that has metal in it, such as jewellery, a bra or hair clips, and removing coins or keys from your pockets. Before the scan you fill in a safety form that asks, for example, whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant, and whether you have any metal parts in your body such as surgical clips or a pacemaker.

The NHS says serious complications from an MRI scan are rare. Some people cannot have an MRI, or need extra checks first, and the clinic's safety screening decides this. See MRI safety and metal implants and how to prepare for your scan.

During the scan, and your results

You lie flat on a bed that moves into the scanner. The radiographer controls the scanner from another room but can hear and speak to you. You need to lie still so the scanner can take clear images. MRI scanners make loud bangs and clicks as they take pictures, so you are given ear protection.

The NHS says an MRI scan usually takes between 15 minutes and 1 hour, but can take longer. Some scans use an injection of contrast medium (dye) to help show more detail, and the clinic will tell you if yours needs it.

If you feel anxious in enclosed spaces, tell the clinic beforehand; the NHS says you may be able to have a medicine to help you relax. See claustrophobia and MRI. You can eat and drink as normal afterwards.

Your images are reported by an appropriately qualified clinician, and the report is sent to you or your referrer, depending on how the clinic works. The clinic will tell you how long its report takes. Plan to discuss it with a GP, physiotherapist or specialist who can examine you. See scan results.

What affects the price of a neck MRI

Each clinic sets its own price, and prices vary. The main factors are the body area and how many areas are scanned, whether contrast is needed, the type of scanner (for example a higher field strength or an open scanner), whether a consultation is included, and where the clinic is. FindScan shows each clinic's own listed price as the clinic sets it, without mark-up.

Check what is included, such as the report, before you send an enquiry. Our private MRI cost guide explains more.

How to compare neck MRI clinics on FindScan

Use FindScan search to see clinics near you that offer MRI. Compare locations, listed prices and clinic details, then send an enquiry to the clinic you choose. We pass your details to that clinic, and the clinic contacts you to discuss your request, its referral policy, safety screening and availability. FindScan does not take bookings or payments.

For the rest of the spine, see spine MRI.