A referral for private CT, with an honest discussion of radiation dose and whether it's the right scan.
Referred by a GMC-registered GP, results reviewed by the same doctor
Taken at a partner site near you
Results explained in plain English, not just a number
Your NHS records in the room, with your consent
Care led personally by Dr Khan
Attentive, unhurried care that listens properly
Five-star Google reviews from the people we have looked after
Registered with the Care Quality Commission
CT is fast and excellent for bone, chest, and acute abdominal problems. It also involves a meaningful radiation dose, which is why it should be requested for a specific clinical question rather than out of general curiosity.
The consultation covers whether CT is genuinely the right scan, or whether MRI or ultrasound would answer the question without the radiation.
Cross-sectional X-ray images. Strong for lung, bone, sinus and abdominal imaging, and for detecting kidney stones.
Some CT scans require injected contrast. Tell us about kidney problems, diabetes medication, asthma or any previous reaction to contrast dye.
CT is generally avoided in pregnancy. Tell us if you are or might be pregnant.
CT uses considerably more radiation than a plain X-ray. For a specific clinical question the benefit clearly outweighs that. For general reassurance it does not.
Part of the consultation is establishing which of those you are in — and whether MRI or ultrasound would answer the question without the dose.
Consultation, referral to Vista Health where CT is appropriate, then a review of the radiologist's report with you.
Some CT scans require fasting and an injected contrast dye. Tell us about kidney problems, diabetes medication, asthma, or any previous reaction to contrast.
CT is generally avoided in pregnancy. Tell us if you are or might be pregnant.
A CT scan of the chest or abdomen finds an incidental abnormality in a substantial proportion of people — small lung nodules, liver and kidney cysts, adrenal nodules, thyroid nodules.
The overwhelming majority are harmless. But once seen they generally trigger follow-up scans, sometimes over years, and there is no way to un-know them.
That is a genuine cost of scanning, and it is worth weighing before rather than after.
CT uses considerably more radiation than a plain X-ray — an abdominal CT is roughly equivalent to a few years of ordinary background exposure.
For a scan that answers a real clinical question, that is a reasonable trade. For repeated scanning with no clear question, it is not, and the risk accumulates.
Where MRI or ultrasound would answer the same question, they are preferred — both use no radiation at all.
Genuinely reassuring for the things CT looks for — which are largely structural. It does not exclude conditions with no structural signature, and a great many symptoms fall into that category.
It is the reason CT is not used casually and not repeated without cause, and the reason it is avoided in pregnancy unless the benefit clearly outweighs it.
Where ultrasound or MRI answers the same question, they are the better choice.
Iodinated contrast can affect kidney function and occasionally causes allergic reactions.
Tell the unit if you have kidney problems, diabetes — particularly on metformin — asthma, or have reacted to contrast before. These change how the scan is done, not usually whether it happens.
We do not perform scans — we refer. And anything acute belongs in A&E, where CT is available immediately and the specialist is already there.
NHS CT is free where indicated, and for anything urgent it is considerably faster than any private route — A&E and urgent cancer pathways scan within days, sometimes hours.
Right to Choose lets you select a different NHS provider with a shorter wait, at no cost.
NHS lung health checks are being rolled out for people at higher risk from smoking history — free, targeted, and a properly evidenced screening programme rather than a marketed scan.
A long local wait for a non-urgent question where an earlier answer changes a decision.
An incidental finding leads to follow-up scanning, sometimes for years. Ask before booking what the provider does if something unexpected is seen — and whether a specialist consultation is included.
More than a plain X-ray — an abdominal CT is roughly a few years' worth of ordinary background exposure.
For a scan answering a real question, that is a reasonable trade. For repeated scanning without one, it is not, which is why CT is not used casually.
CT is much faster, better for bone, lungs, bleeding and acute abdominal problems, and available to people who cannot have an MRI.
MRI is better for soft tissue, the spinal cord and joints, and uses no radiation — so where either would answer the question, MRI is generally preferred.
It depends on the question. Contrast highlights blood vessels and makes many abnormalities far more visible.
Tell the unit if you have kidney problems, diabetes — especially on metformin — asthma, or have reacted to contrast before. These usually change how the scan is done rather than whether it happens.
For some scans, yes — usually where contrast is being given. The imaging provider confirms exactly what is needed when you book, and it varies by body part.
It is generally avoided unless the benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
Tell the unit if you are pregnant or think you might be, before the scan. Ultrasound or MRI is usually used instead.
Almost certainly not. Small lung nodules are found extremely commonly on CT and the overwhelming majority are entirely benign — usually old scarring from an infection.
Standard practice is a repeat scan after an interval to confirm it is not changing. That is monitoring, not suspicion.
That the appearance is not typical enough to call either way — not that something worrying was found.
It usually means a repeat scan after a few months, which is how most indeterminate findings are resolved.
No, and we will not refer for one.
Whole-body screening CT delivers a substantial radiation dose, finds incidental abnormalities in a large share of people, and has never been shown to save lives.
What it reliably produces is follow-up scans and anxiety. Where screening genuinely works — bowel, breast, cervical, and lung health checks for smokers — it is free and evidence-based.
Because CT involves radiation and finds things. Both are reasons to be sure the scan will answer your question before it is done.
Sometimes the right answer is a different scan, or no scan at all.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
August 23, 2026
On this page
Ongoing
Time to be seen
Appointment length
Your NHS record in the room
Written treatment plan
Told when a test isn’t needed
Cost
Same day, usually
20 minutes
Yes, with your consent
Included
Yes, and told why
£40 for 20 minutes
Varies by practice
Typically 10 minutes
Yes, your full record
Not routinely
Usually
Free
Same day
Often 10 to 15 minutes
Usually not
Sometimes charged
Varies by provider
Often a subscription
Same-day access is usually available, from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week. You choose a time that suits you rather than waiting on hold at 8am.
Yes. Care is led personally by Dr Mohammad Khan, so you are not passed between clinicians. Continuity is the point of a small practice: someone who knows your history and is listening attentively rather than working through a checklist.
Yes, with your consent. We can access your Summary Care Record during the consultation, so your current medications, allergies and significant history are in the room. That means fewer questions you have already answered elsewhere, and safer prescribing.
No. We are not here to replace GPs, only to support them. Your NHS practice remains responsible for your ongoing care, and with your consent we write to them after the consultation. We are useful when you need to be seen sooner, or want more time than a standard appointment allows.
Twenty unhurried minutes and a comprehensive assessment. A written treatment plan is included, along with any prescription, sick note or referral letter arising from the consultation, at no extra charge.
£40 for 20 minutes, self-pay. Membership is optional and never required. Priced for fairness, because we are not here to charge extortionate amounts for access to a doctor.
It means the diagnosis can usually be made from your history and photographs, and that treatment can be arranged safely without examining you. Where a condition is not marked treatable online, it is because examination is the diagnosis — listening to a chest, feeling an abdomen, examining an ear or a joint — or because a procedure or device is needed.
Yes, where there is a genuine bacterial infection — cellulitis, impetigo, bacterial urine infections, confirmed strep throat. We will also frequently tell you that you do not need one. Most sore throats, coughs, colds and earaches are viral, and an antibiotic gives you the side effects with none of the benefit.
If your problem turns out to be genuinely outside what we can do remotely, the doctor will tell you straight away, point you to the right service, and refund your fee in full. We would rather do that than fill twenty minutes to justify the charge.
Call 999 or go to A&E — do not book an online appointment and do not wait for a reply to an email. For urgent problems that are not emergencies, NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, online or by phone, and can direct you to the right service.
Patient reviews