Upper abdomen scan · Harley Street, Central London & St Albans · 7 days a week
An abdominal ultrasound scan, also called an abdominal scan or stomach ultrasound, is a painless, radiation-free scan of your liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, kidneys, spleen and aorta.
It is used for abdominal pain, bloating, gallstones, fatty liver, kidney stones and abnormal liver or kidney blood tests.
An abdominal ultrasound at London Private Ultrasound costs £219 with no GP referral needed, and your report follows within 24 hours.
A combined scan adds the pelvis, the urinary tract or both, from £399. Compare the options.
| Price | £219 all-inclusive · combined scans from £399 |
|---|---|
| Also called | Abdominal scan · stomach scan · abdomen ultrasound · upper abdominal ultrasound · USG abdomen |
| What it checks | Liver · gallbladder and bile ducts · pancreas (where bowel gas allows) · both kidneys · spleen · abdominal aorta |
| Time | About 20 minutes · painless, no radiation |
| Preparation | Fast for 4–6 hours · small sips of water and essential medication are fine |
| Results | Explained on the day · written report with images within 24 hours |
| Referral | No GP referral needed |
| Where & when | 27 Welbeck Street, W1G 8EN · 54–56 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3HZ · 7 days, 9am–7pm |
The £219 scan covers the upper abdominal organs. If your symptoms also involve the pelvis or the urinary tract, one combined appointment answers more questions and costs less than booking the scans separately.
£399
Save £39 compared with an abdominal scan and a pelvic scan booked separately (£438).
£399
Save £39 compared with an abdominal scan and a kidney and bladder scan booked separately (£438).
£499
Save £158 compared with three separate scans (£657).
Only need the abdominal organs checked?The abdominal ultrasound on its own is £219 and takes about 20 minutes.
Book abdominal scan · £219Choose your appointment, then a clinic and a time. Same-day and next-day slots are often available, 7 days a week.
Choose your scan, then select your clinic and appointment on our secure booking page. Online booking is for patients aged 18 and over.
For a Spleen Health Package, please see the package page or call 020 7101 3377.
Most people book because of a symptom, an abnormal blood test or a finding that needs checking. A scan is often the quickest first step in an abdominal pain assessment.
Pain under the right ribs, or pain that travels to the right shoulder blade, can point to gallstones or a liver or bile duct problem.
Ongoing bloating, sickness or indigestion after fatty meals can come from the gallbladder, liver or pancreas.
Raised liver enzymes or abnormal kidney function tests are a common reason for a scan to look for the cause.
Jaundice, dark urine or pale stools mean the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts need checking.
Flank pain, suspected kidney stones or blood in the urine can be assessed in the same scan.
Known gallstones, fatty liver, cysts or the size of the aorta can be rechecked, or you may simply want peace of mind.
Seek urgent medical advice for severe or sudden abdominal pain, fever with jaundice, vomiting blood, black stools, collapse or persistent vomiting. These symptoms should not wait for a routine private scan.
Both include an upper abdominal ultrasound. The Spleen Health Package adds a blood test and a GP appointment, for when a spleen-related concern is the main question.
£219
Scan only. Blood tests and a GP appointment are not included.
£575
Best for a spleen-related concern: upper left abdominal pain or fullness, an enlarged spleen, unexplained tiredness or frequent infections, or a history of liver disease or blood disorders.
A private abdominal ultrasound looks at each of the upper abdominal organs in turn and helps find many common structural causes of abdominal symptoms.
Fatty liver change, cysts, lesions and signs of chronic liver disease, judged from the liver’s size and texture.
Gallstones, sludge, wall thickening, inflammation and widening of the bile ducts.
Inflammation, cysts, masses or duct changes in the visible pancreas, where bowel gas allows.
Kidney stones, cysts, swelling caused by a blockage (hydronephrosis) and other visible structural changes.
An enlarged spleen, cysts and other visible lesions or structural changes.
The visible abdominal aorta is measured for widening, which can show an aneurysm before it causes symptoms.
The scan also looks for free fluid in the abdomen (ascites). Bowel gas can limit the view of the pancreas and bowel, and ultrasound is not a definitive cancer test. The scan does not cover the bowel, adrenal glands, pelvic organs or the ureters and bladder. For those, see the combined scans above, a kidney, bladder and urinary tract ultrasound, or liver elastography for liver stiffness.
Fasting matters. It lets the gallbladder fill and reduces bowel gas that can hide the pancreas and deeper organs. If you book a combined scan, you also need a full bladder: finish drinking about one litre of water an hour beforehand.
Avoid food, tea and coffee. Avoid fatty food and drinks too, because fat makes the gallbladder empty and can hide smaller stones. Take essential medication as usual.
Both increase swallowed air and gas in the bowel, which can obscure the pancreas and deeper organs.
Wear something with easy access to your abdomen and bring earlier scans or blood tests. If you have diabetes, tell us when you book so we can offer an earlier slot, and bring something to eat afterwards.
You lie on your back while the sonographer moves the probe over your abdomen. You may be asked to hold your breath or turn slightly. Findings are explained afterwards and you can eat straight away.
Same-day and next-day appointments are often available, and you do not need a GP referral. That can save weeks of waiting for a routine NHS scan.
Your scan is done by an experienced clinician in a CQC-registered service, with doctor-led governance. Your sonographer talks through your symptoms first.
The main findings are explained at the appointment and a written report with key images follows within 24 hours. It is ready to share with your GP.
If your symptoms span the abdomen, pelvis and urinary tract, one combined scan covers them together. A spleen package adds bloods and a GP appointment.
Choose Harley Street in Central London or St Albans in Hertfordshire. The same scans and prices apply at both, seven days a week.
£219 covers the scan, the explanation and the written report, with no extras to pay afterwards. Trusted by more than 35,000 patients since 2012.
Abdominal ultrasound at both clinics, 7 days a week from 9am to 7pm, with same-day slots often available.
27 Welbeck Street, London W1G 8EN
Two minutes from Bond Street (Elizabeth, Central and Jubilee lines), five from Oxford Circus and eight from Marylebone.
54–56 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3HZ
A short walk from St Albans City station, with parking nearby. Serving Hertfordshire and North London.
Our service is regulated by the CQC. Doctors are registered with the GMC; our team also follows relevant ultrasound guidance and professional standards.
Care Quality Commission
Independent regulator of health and social care in England.
General Medical Council
Register for doctors, including our Medical Director and the doctors who review your care.
Royal College of General Practitioners
Professional body setting standards for general practice.
British Medical Ultrasound Society
Professional standards for medical ultrasound in the UK.
Society of Radiographers
Professional body for radiographers and sonographers in the UK.
Dr Babak Soleimanpour
Medical Director & GPMD · MRCGP · DRCOG · GMC 6060555 · clinical governance and GP review pathway
Dr Reza Salehi
Medical DoctorGMC-registered doctor · diagnostic ultrasound service involvement
Mrs Hosna Rashidi
Consultant SonographerBMUS registered · female clinician available on request where possible
Mr Pedram Aghaei
Co-founder & Medical WriterBMUS · SVT · SoR · patient information and content governance
Private abdominal ultrasound prices in the UK depend on the clinic and on who performs the scan. In London a standard abdominal scan typically costs around £150 to £260, and more when a consultant radiologist scans you or when the pelvis or urinary tract is added. These figures are approximate and change often, so check what the price includes, such as the consultation and the written report.
At London Private Ultrasound the abdominal ultrasound scan is £219, all-inclusive. On the NHS the scan is free at the point of use once your GP has referred you, but waiting times vary by area.
"Whole abdomen" usually means the abdominal organs plus the pelvis, or plus the urinary tract. At London Private Ultrasound the abdominal ultrasound alone is £219 and covers the upper abdominal organs. The combined options are abdominal and pelvic £399, abdominal and urinary tract £399 and abdominal, pelvic and urinary tract £499.
The combined scans cost less than booking separately. An abdominal scan plus a pelvic scan is £438 booked apart, and three separate scans are £657, so the £499 scan saves £158. For broader screening across the whole body, the full body ultrasound starts from £600.
Yes. Private clinics can scan you without a GP referral. At London Private Ultrasound you can book directly online, by phone on 020 7101 3377 or by WhatsApp. If you have a GP letter, earlier scan reports or recent blood results, bring them so the sonographer has the full picture.
On the NHS you usually need a referral from your GP or a specialist, and the wait depends on your local service. A private scan is useful when you want a faster appointment, weekend availability or a quick report.
The abdominal ultrasound scan at London Private Ultrasound is £219. That covers the scan of your liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, pancreas, kidneys, spleen and abdominal aorta, a conversation with your sonographer, your findings explained on the day and a written report with key images within 24 hours. There is nothing extra to pay afterwards.
If your symptoms need more, combined scans start from £399, and the Spleen Health Package (£575) adds a blood test and a GP appointment to an upper abdominal ultrasound.
They usually mean the same appointment. An abdominal ultrasound is often called a stomach scan, stomach ultrasound, tummy ultrasound, abdominal scan, abdominal sonogram or USG abdomen. The names are slightly misleading, because the scan looks at the organs around the stomach, including the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys and spleen, rather than the stomach itself. The stomach contains air and food, which sound waves cannot pass through clearly.
Most often to find the cause of abdominal pain or discomfort. Common reasons are pain under the right ribs, bloating, nausea, indigestion after fatty meals, yellow eyes or skin (jaundice), abnormal liver or kidney blood tests, suspected gallstones or kidney stones, blood in the urine and monitoring a known finding such as fatty liver, a cyst or the size of the aorta.
A scan is a sensible first step for a private abdominal pain assessment because it is quick, painless and uses no radiation. It shows the size, shape and texture of each organ, so your report can point towards the cause or say what test is needed next.
The upper abdominal ultrasound, also called an upper abdomen scan, is the scan on this page. It covers the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas (where bowel gas allows), kidneys, spleen and abdominal aorta.
The lower abdomen, or pelvis, is not included. That is where the uterus, ovaries, bladder and prostate sit. If your symptoms involve the lower abdomen, choose the abdominal and pelvic scan, a pelvic ultrasound, or for men a prostate and bladder ultrasound. Ultrasound is also not a reliable way to image the bowel.
Yes. Fast for 4 to 6 hours before the scan. Fasting lets the gallbladder fill, which helps smaller stones show up, and it reduces gas in the bowel that can hide the pancreas and deeper organs. Some clinics ask for 6 to 8 hours, but 4 to 6 is enough here.
Small sips of water and essential medication are fine. Avoid food, tea, coffee, fatty drinks, fizzy drinks and chewing gum during the fast. If you book a combined scan that includes the pelvis or urinary tract, you also need a full bladder, so finish drinking about one litre of water an hour before your appointment. If you have diabetes, tell us when you book so we can offer an earlier slot, and bring something to eat afterwards.
An ultrasound uses sound waves, involves no radiation and shows the organs in real time. It is very good for the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen and aorta, and you can have it the same day. A CT scan uses X-rays, gives more detail of the bowel and adrenal glands and is often used to stage or follow up a finding.
Ultrasound is usually the first test for abdominal pain and abnormal blood tests. CT is not part of this service. If your sonographer thinks CT or MRI would answer your question better, your report says so and your GP or specialist can arrange it.
Yes for all three, with some limits. Ultrasound is the usual first-line test for gallstones and gallbladder inflammation. A full gallbladder and bile duct assessment is part of the £219 scan, so there is no separate private gallbladder scan fee. It can also show features that suggest fatty liver, although measuring liver stiffness needs liver elastography (FibroScan).
It shows kidney stones and swelling of the kidney caused by a blockage, but very small stones, and stones in the ureter, can be harder to see. A kidney-focused scan such as the kidney, bladder and urinary tract ultrasound looks at the whole urinary tract.
Choose by where your symptoms are. The abdominal and pelvic scan (£399) adds the uterus, endometrium, ovaries and cervix, so it suits abdominal and pelvic symptoms together, such as pain with heavy or irregular periods. The abdominal and urinary tract scan (£399) adds the kidneys, ureters and bladder, including residual urine, for abdominal and urinary symptoms together.
The abdominal, pelvic and urinary tract scan (£499) covers all three areas and is the one to pick when symptoms span more than one. For women, a transvaginal scan may be offered for clearer pelvic views. It is only done with your consent and can be stopped at any time. If you are unsure, call 020 7101 3377 and the team will confirm which scan matches your symptoms.
Yes for adults of any sex. For men, the scan includes the abdominal aorta, which is useful when checking for an aneurysm, and the prostate and bladder are covered by a separate prostate and bladder ultrasound. For women, the pelvic organs are added by choosing the abdominal and pelvic scan.
Online booking is for patients aged 18 and over. If you would like an abdominal ultrasound for a child, please call 020 7101 3377 or message us on WhatsApp so the team can advise.
Ultrasound can show a suspicious lump or an abnormal area in an organ, but it is not a definitive cancer test. If a finding needs clarifying, your report will recommend further tests such as CT, MRI, MRCP, blood tests or a specialist review.
A normal scan is reassuring but cannot rule out every condition. Some problems, especially in the bowel, need blood tests, CT, MRI, endoscopy or a GP review. If your symptoms persist after a normal scan, see your GP.
The scan itself usually takes about 20 minutes, or around 30 minutes for a combined scan. Your sonographer takes a short history first and explains the main findings afterwards. The scan is painless, uses no radiation, and you can eat straight afterwards.
A written report with key images follows, usually within 24 hours, and you can share it with your GP or specialist.
Yes. The Spleen Health Package comes in three tiers. Silver (£410) is a GP consultation and blood tests. Gold (£575) adds an ultrasound of the whole upper abdomen, which shows the liver, spleen and surrounding structures, alongside the blood test and a 15-minute GP consultation. Platinum (£910) is a more advanced assessment for a suspected spleen or immune problem. The GP appointment takes place on the first Friday after your test day, once results are ready.
The packages suit a spleen-related concern such as pain or fullness in the upper left abdomen. Liver, kidney, pancreatic and general health blood tests can also be arranged alongside an abdominal ultrasound where clinically appropriate, including through the Liver Health Package.
London Private Ultrasound has two clinics. Central London is at 27 Welbeck Street, W1G 8EN, in the Harley Street Medical District, a short walk from Bond Street, Oxford Circus and Marylebone. St Albans is at 54 to 56 Victoria Street, AL1 3HZ, near St Albans City station.
Both offer the abdominal ultrasound seven days a week, 9am to 7pm, with same-day and next-day appointments often available.
Medical disclaimer. This page is general information and does not replace individual medical advice. Ultrasound is excellent for many abdominal organs, but bowel gas can limit the view of the pancreas and bowel, and it does not diagnose cancer on its own. A normal scan cannot rule out every condition. Seek urgent medical attention (A&E or 999) rather than booking a routine scan if you have severe or sudden abdominal pain, fever with jaundice, vomiting blood, black stools, collapse, severe dehydration or persistent vomiting, or you feel seriously unwell.
