Scans & Tests · Knee osteoarthritis

Scans and tests your GP or consultant may recommend for Knee osteoarthritis

This is information about which scans and tests may be used to assess Knee osteoarthritis, and what each one is: not a recommendation. Your clinician decides which scan or test, if any, you need. Prices below are typical UK private ranges; enter your postcode to see the NHS wait near you.

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Often no scan is needed

Knee osteoarthritis is usually diagnosed from your symptoms and an examination. NICE recommends a clinical diagnosis without imaging for people aged 45 and over with typical joint pain, because scan findings often do not match how much pain someone has.

X-ray

The usual first choice if imaging is used. It shows joint-space narrowing and bony spurs. Quick, with low radiation.

An X-ray uses a small dose of radiation to image dense structures, mainly bone. It is quick and widely available.

How long: A few minutes.

Good for: Bones and joints: fractures, alignment, and the joint-space narrowing seen in arthritis.

Typical UK private cost: £100 to £375. Usually bookable within days.

MRI

Used only in specific cases: occasionally for complex cases or when planning certain surgery, where soft-tissue or subtle bony detail matters.

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to build detailed pictures of soft tissues such as muscles, ligaments, cartilage, discs and the brain. It uses no radiation.

How long: Usually 15 to 45 minutes, lying still inside a tunnel-shaped scanner.

Good for: Soft-tissue and joint detail: ligament and cartilage injuries, the spine and discs, and the brain.

Typical UK private cost: £300 to £1145. Usually bookable within days.

Ultrasound

Sometimes used for more superficial joints. It has a limited role in osteoarthritis.

An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to produce live images, via a handheld probe on the skin. It uses no radiation.

How long: Usually 15 to 45 minutes.

Good for: Soft tissues near the surface, tendons and muscles, the abdomen and pelvis, and anything best seen moving in real time.

Typical UK private cost: £185 to £495. Usually bookable within days.

Sources: NICE (NG226 / QS87), NHS. [1] (opens in new tab) [2] (opens in new tab) [3] (opens in new tab)

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Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. NHS waits are from DM01 diagnostics data. Nothing here is medical advice; your clinician decides which scan, if any, you need.

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