Private Knee Ultrasound Scan in London

At London Private Ultrasound a knee ultrasound is £199 for one knee and £299 for both, all-inclusive, at our Central London (Harley Street Medical District) and St Albans clinics. The price covers an MSK-specialist appointment, a full assessment of the quadriceps and patellar tendons, the collateral ligaments, the bursae, the IT band, Hoffa’s fat pad, Baker’s cyst, joint effusion and the peripheral meniscal margins, a dynamic movement assessment, same-day verbal results and a full written report within 24 hours. There are no added fees, and we will share the report with your GP or specialist on request.

Across the UK, private knee ultrasound scans typically advertise from around £135 to £300, and the difference usually comes down to who performs and reports the scan and whether the assessment is dynamic. Booking both knees together saves £99 against two separate single-knee appointments.

Yes, a knee ultrasound is the recommended first-line scan for most soft-tissue knee pain. It shows the quadriceps and patellar tendons, the collateral ligaments, the bursae, the IT band, Hoffa’s fat pad, a Baker’s cyst, joint effusion and the peripheral meniscal margins in high resolution and in real time.

It reliably identifies tendinopathy and tendon tears, bursitis, collateral ligament sprains, IT band syndrome, Baker’s cysts, effusions and soft-tissue lumps. Because it is dynamic, it can reproduce and show problems that only appear when you bend, straighten or load the knee.

For the tendons, collateral ligaments, bursae, IT band, Baker’s cyst and soft tissue, high-resolution ultrasound is an excellent first-line test, and it has one advantage MRI does not: it images the knee moving and under load, which is how snapping tendons, ligament laxity and positional problems are best seen.

MRI is better for the cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL), the central and posterior parts of the meniscus, the articular cartilage and the bone. In practice, ultrasound is the ideal first test for most knee pain, and if the findings suggest a cruciate, deep meniscal or bony problem, an MRI is the right next step. We will tell you clearly if that applies to you.

Ultrasound can see the peripheral (outer) margins of the meniscus and can detect meniscal cysts and some peripheral tears, but it cannot reliably assess the central and posterior parts of the meniscus, which sit deep inside the joint. MRI remains the gold standard for a suspected meniscal tear.

If your history and examination suggest a meniscal problem, we will advise on the day whether ultrasound is enough or whether an MRI is the better test.

Yes, ultrasound is the ideal test for a Baker’s cyst (popliteal cyst). It confirms the diagnosis, measures the cyst and its neck in real time, checks whether it has ruptured or is causing calf symptoms, and can guide aspiration or injection where that is appropriate.

A Baker’s cyst is one of the most common reasons people book a knee ultrasound, and it is a good example of where ultrasound is more useful than a static MRI because it images the cyst live.

Yes, ultrasound is the first-choice test for a lump or swelling around the knee. It can characterise many common lumps such as a Baker’s cyst, ganglion, bursal swelling or lipoma, and can raise suspicion of anything that needs further assessment.

If a lump has indeterminate or concerning features, the clinician will advise onward MRI and specialist referral. Ultrasound is a useful, radiation-free first look, not the final word.

Yes, ultrasound directly visualises the iliotibial (IT) band where it crosses the outer knee and is a first-line test for iliotibial band syndrome, a common cause of outer-knee pain in runners and cyclists. Because the scan is dynamic, the band can be assessed as the knee bends, which helps confirm friction and inflammation.

Patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee), another common runner’s and jumper’s problem, is also well seen, so a knee ultrasound is a good choice for most sports-related front and outer-knee pain.

The NHS does offer knee ultrasound, but usually only after a GP referral and often after a period of physiotherapy, with a wait for the appointment and then the report.

A private knee ultrasound is for people who want a fast, specialist answer, frequently the same or next day, with results explained in the room and a written report they can share with their GP, physiotherapist or surgeon. No GP referral is required to book with us.

Allow about 20 to 30 minutes for a single knee, or a little longer if both knees are being scanned. Your findings are explained straight after the scan, and the full written report follows within 24 hours.

You get verbal results the same day: the clinician explains what they have found immediately after the scan and answers your questions. A full written report with images follows the same day or within 24 hours.

On request, we can share the report directly with your GP, physiotherapist or specialist to speed up your next step.

No, a GP referral is not required. You can self-refer and book directly online, by phone on 020 7101 3377, or on WhatsApp, with same-day and next-day appointments often available at both clinics.

If you have previous X-ray, ultrasound or MRI reports for the knee, bring them so the clinician can read today’s findings in context.

It is painless and non-invasive. Warm gel is applied to the skin and the clinician moves a small probe over the front, sides and back of the knee, viewing the structures on screen. There are no needles and nothing internal.

You will be asked to bend, straighten and load the knee during the scan so the tendons and ligaments can be watched in motion. If a movement is uncomfortable because of your symptoms, tell the clinician and they will adapt.

Yes, if the scan confirms a treatable problem such as bursitis, tendinopathy, a Baker’s cyst or a joint effusion, an ultrasound-guided knee injection or aspiration can often be arranged. Placing the needle under live ultrasound means it is delivered accurately to the right spot, which is more reliable than an unguided injection.

Our one-stop orthopaedic and MSK clinic can take you from scan to treatment quickly where that is the right plan.

Ultrasound is radiation-free and can be appropriate for children in the right circumstances, for example after a sports injury or for a soft-tissue concern such as Osgood-Schlatter. Please call us on 020 7101 3377 first so we can confirm suitability and arrange the right appointment.

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 54–56 Victoria Street, AL1 3HZ, serving Hertfordshire and North London.

Both offer the £199 knee scan (£299 both knees), seven days a week, 9am to 7pm, with MSK-specialist clinicians and same-day and next-day appointments often available.