Any one has experience getting an X-Ray scan and MRI scan in Switzerland? What will be the costs for each scan?



I assume the scans can be performed right away after getting an approval from the family doctor?

You don't need approval from a family doctor, if you are willing to pay yourself. If you are not then it is your family doctor who will deem whether it is necessary or not.



Cost, about Chf 300.-- for the x-ray and MRI scan.


But without critical analysis these are both useless to you so you need to add on the costs for appraisal and a report, about another Chf 700.-- depending on the actual results

A doctor or radiologist should refuse a to take an x-ray or CT done just for the joy of it and without good clinical reason. An MRI should be less of a problem as there is no harmful radiation.

How long is a piece of string? Depends on type of X-Ray and MRI, whether you need contrast agent, what part of the body, etc.

In general it's somewhere around 200-300 for an XRay and anywhere from 2-300 to thousands for an MRI. But the exams are most always performed in relation with some consultation with a doctor, and that consultation may cost as well.

Most of radiology centers perform only at the request of a doctor, and in that case usually one can find a radiology centre pretty quickly (within the day or within a few days), there are plenty about.

Then there is the issue of insurance coverage - most centres work with the swiss basic insurance that covers a lot of procedures. If you don't want to pay out of your pocket you will need to use the insurance and then you may have to check how your insurance model allows you to get referred for radiology

Budget at least 400-500 for the two scans. MRI alone can cost upto 450 fr. and upwards.

Dandi are you really sure about that ? Ive had tonnes of scans here (unfortunately) X-rays, MRI and CT and 2-3000 is just way out of what I normally pay. I agree 2-300 for xray but MRI's are around 600 to 800 from what I remember, not in the thousands.

MRI's can easily be in the 1,000's even in Malta you will pay €1200 in a private hospital. I was quoted €1000 for a CT scan

fair enough, I have to admit I am on the lowest deductible so I dont take much notice of the bills I just pay a whopping monthly premium so perhaps I just didnt read the details enough.

I agree most MRIs will be in the hundreds (400-800) if it's a scan without contrast substance or particular preparation procedure. But there can be more exotic procedures that run far higher - really depends.

CT scans are a different beast but also can vary quite a lot - from 1-200 to 4-5k easily

For the OP the best would be to talk to a doctor that will advise on procedure to follow and costs as well.

I had an MRI of my spine, was about 1000 chf - no contrast dye. It took about an hour.

But I was shocked when I saw the cost for my SPECT CT - chf 2650. This is performed with an injection of a dye, you wait about an hour, then you have the scan, which took less than 15 minutes.

These costs included the report from the radiologist.

The MRIs of my bonce run around a grand. My knee was more like 300.


SPE CT is a newer, more expensive, technology to bog-standard X-ray CT so costs a lot more. The dye is radioactive so takes special handling.

QUOTE FATMANFILMS
"MRI's can easily be in the 1,000's even in Malta you will pay €1200 in a private hospital. I was quoted €1000 for a CT scan"


That because it would take long time to find anything worthwhile between your ears i reckon