Private Shoulder Ultrasound Scan in London

At London Private Ultrasound a shoulder ultrasound costs £199 for one shoulder and £299 for both, all-inclusive, at our Central London and St Albans clinics. The price covers the scan, results explained on the day and a written report within 24 hours.

Across the UK, private shoulder ultrasounds typically advertise from around £130 to £300. When you compare prices, check who performs and reports the scan, and whether the assessment is dynamic.

Yes. Shoulder ultrasound is the recommended first-line scan for most shoulder pain. It shows the rotator cuff, biceps tendon, bursa, AC joint and upper-arm soft tissues in real time, and finds rotator cuff tears, impingement, bursitis, calcific tendinitis, biceps problems, AC joint arthritis and lumps. Because you move your arm during the scan, problems that only appear on movement can be seen.

For the rotator cuff, biceps tendon, bursa and soft tissue, ultrasound is comparable to MRI in experienced hands, and it shows the shoulder moving, which MRI cannot. MRI is better for the labrum, the bone and the deep joint.

Ultrasound is the ideal first test for most shoulder pain, and we will tell you clearly if an MRI is the right next step.

For soft tissue, ultrasound is the better test, with no radiation. CT uses X-rays and is best for bone, complex fractures and surgical planning, not tendons.

For a suspected cuff tear, impingement, bursitis or tendon pain, ultrasound is the right first scan, and we will tell you if CT is the better route for you.

Ultrasound is not a cancer screening test, but it can characterise lumps around the shoulder and upper arm, such as a lipoma, ganglion or bursal swelling, and flag one that needs further assessment.

If a lump looks concerning, the clinician will advise an MRI and specialist referral, because a definite diagnosis usually needs MRI and a biopsy.

Yes. High-resolution ultrasound is highly accurate for rotator cuff tears. It can tell full-thickness tears, partial tears and degenerative tendinopathy apart, and shows calcium deposits in the tendons. For full-thickness supraspinatus tears it is comparable to MRI in experienced hands, with the added benefit of a moving assessment.

Yes. As well as the shoulder structures, the scan assesses the upper-arm muscles, tendons and soft tissue, and any lump or swelling there, because shoulder problems often refer pain down the arm.

If your pain is centred at the elbow, an elbow scan may suit you better. Ask us and we will guide you.

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is largely a clinical diagnosis, but ultrasound helps. It can show supportive signs such as thickening around the joint and rotator interval, and it can rule out a rotator cuff tear that mimics it. It can also guide an injection or hydrodistension if that is the plan.

Yes, the NHS offers shoulder ultrasound, but usually only after a GP referral and often with a wait.

A private scan is for people who want a fast, specialist answer, often the same or next day, with results explained in the room. No GP referral is needed to book with us.

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

No. You can self-refer and book directly online or by phone on 020 7101 3377, with same-day and next-day appointments often available at both clinics.

If you have previous X-ray, ultrasound or MRI reports for the shoulder, 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 shoulder and upper arm, viewing the structures on screen. There are no needles and nothing internal.

You will be asked to move your arm during the scan so the tendons and bursa can be watched in motion. If a movement is uncomfortable because of your symptoms, tell the clinician and they will adapt.

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 within 24 hours.

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

Ultrasound is radiation-free and can be appropriate for children in the right circumstances, for example after an injury or for a soft-tissue concern. 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 shoulder scan (£299 both shoulders), seven days a week, 9am to 7pm, with MSK-specialist clinicians and same-day and next-day appointments often available.

Yes. If the scan confirms a treatable problem such as subacromial bursitis, impingement or a painful tendon, an ultrasound-guided cortisone injection can often be arranged. Placing the injection under live ultrasound means it is delivered accurately to the right spot.

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