Private Knee Ultrasound Scan in London

At London Private Ultrasound a knee ultrasound costs £199 for one knee and £299 for both knees, all-inclusive, at our Central London and St Albans clinics. Across the UK, private knee ultrasound scans typically advertise from around £135 to £300.

Our price includes the scan, a moving (dynamic) assessment, results explained on the day and a written report within 24 hours. Booking both knees saves £99 compared with two separate scans.

Yes. A knee ultrasound is the recommended first 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, fluid in the joint and the outer edges of the menisci.

It identifies tendinopathy and tendon tears, bursitis, ligament sprains, runner’s knee, Baker’s cysts, joint fluid and lumps, and can show problems that only appear when you bend or load the knee.

For the tendons, collateral ligaments, bursae, IT band and a Baker’s cyst, ultrasound is an excellent first test, and it can image the knee moving and under load, which MRI cannot.

MRI is better for the cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL), the central meniscus, the cartilage and the bone. If your scan suggests one of those problems, we will tell you that an MRI is the right next step.

Only partly. Ultrasound can see the outer edges of the meniscus and can find meniscal cysts and some tears there, but it cannot reliably see the central and back parts, which sit deep inside the joint. MRI is the best test for a suspected meniscal tear, and we will advise on the day whether you need one.

Yes. Ultrasound is the ideal test for a Baker’s (popliteal) cyst. It confirms the cyst, measures it, checks whether it has burst into the calf, and can guide drainage or an injection where that is appropriate. It is one of the most common reasons people book a knee scan.

Yes. Ultrasound shows the iliotibial (IT) band where it crosses the outer knee, and it can be checked as the knee bends, which helps confirm IT band syndrome in runners and cyclists. Jumper’s knee (patellar tendinopathy) is also seen clearly, so the scan suits most sports-related front and outer knee pain.

Yes. Ultrasound is the first test for a lump or swelling around the knee. It can tell apart common lumps such as a Baker’s cyst, ganglion, bursal swelling or lipoma. If a lump looks unusual, the clinician will advise an MRI and a specialist referral.

Book one knee at £199 if only one side hurts. Choose both knees at £299 if both hurt, if comparing the painful knee with the other would help, or if you are being checked for a condition that affects both, such as arthritis. Both knees saves £99 compared with two separate scans.

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

The clinician explains what they have found straight after the scan and answers your questions. A full written report with images follows the same day or within 24 hours, and we can send it directly to your GP, physiotherapist or specialist on request.

It is painless, with no needles and nothing internal. Warm gel is applied and the clinician moves a small probe over the front, sides and back of the knee. You will be asked to bend, straighten and gently load the knee so the tendons and ligaments can be watched moving. If a movement is uncomfortable, the clinician will adapt.

Yes. If the scan confirms a treatable problem such as bursitis, tendinopathy, a Baker’s cyst or fluid in the joint, an ultrasound-guided knee injection or aspiration can often be arranged. Live ultrasound places the needle exactly where it is needed. Treatment is booked and charged separately from the scan.

Yes, 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 gives you a specialist answer, often the same or next day, with results explained in the room and a report you can share with your GP, physiotherapist or surgeon.

No. You can book directly online, by phone on 020 7101 3377 or on WhatsApp, with same-day and next-day appointments often available at both clinics. Bring any previous X-ray, ultrasound or MRI reports so the clinician can read today’s findings in context.

Ultrasound is radiation-free and can be suitable for children in the right circumstances, for example after a sports injury or for a problem such as Osgood-Schlatter. Online booking is for patients aged 18 and over, so please call 020 7101 3377 first so we can confirm suitability and arrange the right appointment.

Yes. Our Central London clinic is at 27 Welbeck Street, W1G 8EN, in the Harley Street Medical District, a short walk from Bond Street, Oxford Circus and Marylebone. Our St Albans clinic is at 54–56 Victoria Street, AL1 3HZ, serving Hertfordshire and North London. Both offer the same knee scan, £199 for one knee and £299 for both, 7 days a week from 9am to 7pm.