Scans & Tests · Rotator cuff tear

Scans and tests your GP or consultant may recommend for Rotator cuff tear

This is information about which scans and tests may be used to assess Rotator cuff tear, 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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Clinical assessment and physiotherapy first

Many rotator cuff problems are managed without a scan, starting with examination and physiotherapy.

Ultrasound

Often the first scan. It works in real time and shows the tendons moving, is widely available, and is lower cost.

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.

MRI

Used for complex or full-thickness tears, or to plan surgery.

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.

X-ray

Sometimes used initially to check the shoulder bones. It does not show the cuff tendons themselves.

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.

Sources: NHS, Shoulder-imaging literature. [1] (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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