Which scan do I need for a neck lump?
Almost always a neck ultrasound first: it shows lymph nodes, salivary glands and soft-tissue lumps directly, with results the same visit. If anything needs a deeper look, the same team arranges MRI or CT, usually within the week. Unsure? Call 0203 904 4441 and a clinician will advise before you book.
Do I need a GP referral?
No. You can self-refer for any ultrasound in this category and book online today. For MRI and CT our doctors review every booking to confirm the scan is clinically appropriate. The review is included and takes minutes, not days.
Should I be worried about a thyroid nodule?
Usually not: thyroid nodules are very common and the great majority are benign. What matters is proper characterisation: our consultants measure and grade every nodule using the TI-RADS system, tell you plainly what it means, and arrange a follow-up plan only where one is genuinely needed.
Will I get my results the same day?
For ultrasound, yes: the scanning consultant explains the findings before you leave and your written report follows on the portal the same day. MRI and CT are reported by a subspecialist radiologist, typically within 24–48 hours.
Are the prices really all-inclusive?
Yes. Each price includes the appointment, the scan, the consultant’s written report and aftercare advice. No hidden reporting fees, and every price is published on its page before you book.
Ultrasound, MRI or CT for the head and neck?
Each has its territory:
- Ultrasound: thyroid, lymph nodes, salivary glands and lumps; radiation-free, same-visit answers.
- MRI: the brain, nerves and deep soft tissue; radiation-free, exceptional detail.
- CT: sinuses, temporal bones and fast head imaging.
Start with the simplest scan that answers your question. Our clinicians will tell you honestly which that is.
Are these scans safe?
Ultrasound and MRI use no radiation at all; MRI simply needs a short magnet-safety checklist first. CT uses a low, targeted X-ray dose. We recommend it only where it is genuinely the right test, and will always say so plainly.
What happens if you find something?
The consultant explains any finding in plain English at the scan, your written report sets out exactly what was seen, and where follow-up is needed we provide a referral letter and can arrange the next scan or a specialist opinion, often the same week.
How much does a thyroid ultrasound cost in the UK?
Private thyroid ultrasound prices in the UK typically range from about £150 to £350, often excluding the report. At Harley Street Ultrasound a thyroid ultrasound is £250 and a neck ultrasound £280, always all-inclusive: the scan, the consultant’s written report and aftercare advice.
What does a neck ultrasound show?
In one sitting a neck ultrasound examines:
- The thyroid: nodules, size and texture
- Lymph nodes: size, shape and internal architecture
- Salivary glands: stones, swelling and lumps
- Any lump you can feel: measured and characterised
Deeper structures behind bone or air are MRI and CT territory. If your symptoms point there, we will say so.
How long does a head or neck scan take?
Thyroid and neck ultrasounds take around 20 minutes, with your results explained before you leave. MRI examinations of the head typically take 20–40 minutes depending on the sequences needed.
Where can I get a neck or thyroid scan near me in London?
We are at 99 Harley Street in central London, W1, a short walk from Oxford Circus, Bond Street and Regent’s Park stations. Same-day and next-day appointments are usually available: book online or call 0203 904 4441, no GP referral needed.
Can a neck ultrasound detect cancer, including lymphoma or throat cancer?
It can show the signs that matter: an enlarged or abnormally shaped lymph node, a suspicious thyroid nodule, or a mass in a salivary gland, and it can guide a needle biopsy of any of them at the same visit. It does not see inside the throat, tonsils or oesophagus, which need an ENT examination, CT or MRI. If something looks suspicious your consultant says so plainly and arranges the next test.
Can a thyroid ultrasound detect thyroid cancer, Hashimoto’s or an overactive thyroid?
A thyroid ultrasound shows nodules and grades them on the UK U1 to U5 scale, which tells you whether a biopsy is needed; it is the main test used to find thyroid cancer. It also shows the texture changes of Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease. Whether the gland is overactive or underactive is a blood test, so the two are usually read together.
Does a neck ultrasound include the thyroid, lymph nodes, salivary glands and carotid arteries?
A neck ultrasound examines the lymph nodes, salivary glands, thyroid and soft tissues of the neck in one sitting, so a lump is seen in context rather than in isolation. The carotid arteries are a separate Doppler scan, booked as a carotid ultrasound; tell us what you are worried about and we will book the right one.
Do I need to fast, or prepare in any way, for a neck or thyroid scan?
No. Eat, drink and take your medication as normal, and you do not need to shave. Wear a top with an open neckline and avoid a necklace; you lie back with your neck gently extended for about twenty minutes. It is painless and involves no injections or radiation.
Is a thyroid ultrasound the same as a thyroid scan?
No, and the names are easily confused. A thyroid ultrasound uses sound waves to show the gland and any nodules, with no radiation. A nuclear thyroid scan (an uptake or radioisotope scan) uses a small dose of a radioactive tracer to show how the gland is working, and is arranged through a hospital nuclear medicine department when it is needed. Almost everyone with a lump or nodule starts with ultrasound.
Can a thyroid or neck ultrasound be wrong, and is it safe in pregnancy?
No test is perfect: a very small nodule can be missed and some nodules cannot be fully characterised without a biopsy, which is why anything indeterminate is sampled or followed up rather than guessed at. Ultrasound uses no radiation, so it is safe at any stage of pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and can be repeated for monitoring.
