Patient Journey
When you make an appointment to attend one of our facilities, our staff will provide you with all of the necessary information you need to prepare for your visit. You may also like to read about your appointment and any preparation you can make in advance by clicking on the relevant patient guide below.
If you are going to visit one of our facilities for an appointment, these patient guides will provide you with all of the information you may need in order to arrive feeling prepared. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Your MRI Scan
Preparing for your MRI Scan
Every MRI scan is different and we will let you know if there is anything specific we need you to do. However, for your own convenience, we would always recommend the following:
Female patients are advised to wear as little eye makeup as possible, especially if you are having your brain/eyes scanned.
Patients are advised that all jewellery will need to be removed before your scan. Therefore, please do not bring anything with you that you are not happy to lock away in your changing room.
On the day of your appointment, you can eat and drink as normal, and you can take any medication that you would usually take.
Find us
Please familiarise yourself with how to find the Queen Square Imaging Centre. Find us at:
Queen Square Imaging Centre
8-11 Queen Square
London
WC1N 3AR
tel: 020 7833 2513
When you arrive
When you arrive at the Queen Square Imaging Centre, please report to the reception desk where a member of staff will give you some paperwork to complete. This paperwork will include a safety checklist which is an important document which you should complete carefully and accurately.
Your radiographer will go through this checklist with you prior to going in to the scanner so do not worry if you are unsure how to answer any questions.
Preparing for your scan
The Radiographer will then explain how the scanning procedure works and will tell you everything you need to know to get you ready for your scan. You will be given a changing cubicle where you will be able to get ready for your scan in private and keep any belongings locked away safely.
Your radiographer will take you into the scanning room, and ask you to lie down on the scanning table. They will then position you accurately so that the images we produce are of the best quality. Whilst doing this, your comfort is always taken into consideration.
Your scan
Once you are ready, the radiographer will then move you into the correct position in the scanner, at which point, all you have to do is lie still and relax.
During scanning, you will not feel anything but you will hear lots of different noises coming from the scanner. Whilst sometimes loud, these noises are perfectly normal and mean that the scanner is working properly and doing exactly what we need it to. You will be given some ear plugs to protect your ears during the scan and it is important that these are worn at all times.
After your scan
Once your scan is finished, the radiographer will bring you out of the scanner and take you back to your changing cubicle where you can collect your belongings.
You are welcome to sit in our waiting room for as long as you need before heading off. You should not feel any side effects from the scan, although it is not uncommon for people to feel a little disorientated for a short time after lying so still in an unfamiliar environment.
After your scan, you are invited to provide us with anonymous feedback about the service we have provided, using one of our review kiosks. All feedback is gratefully received, and used to guide future service developments. We hope your experience will be a positive one, but if you do feel the need to make a complaint, our complaints policy will provide you details on how to contact us.
Receiving your reports
We aim to provide a radiologist report for all of our scans on the same day in all but the most complex of cases. This report is sent directly to your doctor. Please note that we are unable to issue reports directly to the patient, although you may request a copy from your consultant if you wish.
You will also have access to your MRI scan pictures. We typically offer this through our online Health Portal which is linked to your email address. However, we can also place your images onto a CD if you would prefer. If you are seeing a doctor outside of Queen Square, we would advise you to share your images with them or take your CD with you.
We will ask you when you are next seeing your doctor so that we can ensure that everything is available to them for when they need it.
Paying for your scan
If the cost of your scan is covered by an insurance policy, you do not need to do anything further as we will liaise with your insurer directly for billing. If you fund the cost of the scan yourself, a member of staff will take payment for the scan so that results can be released without delay.
Your CT Scan
Preparing for your CT Scan
Your preparation will depend on the type of CT scan you’re having and which body part is being scanned. We will let you know if there is anything specific we need you to do at the time of making your booking. However, for your own convenience, here are some pointers:
Patients are advised that jewellery may need to be removed before your scan. Therefore, please do not bring anything with you that you are not happy to lock away in your changing room. Metal fastenings like zips, poppers and hooks and eyes may also show up on the scan, so we may ask you to change into a hospital gown.
Typically, you will be able to eat and drink as normal before your scan. However, we will let you know if we do need you to follow any specific instructions prior to your scan.
If you’re having a contrast dye injection as part of your scan, we may need to ask you to stop taking certain medications before your scan. However, this will only apply to some patients and most will be able to continue taking medications as normal. We will let you know if we need you to stop taking any of your medications when we confirm your booking.
Find us
Please familiarise yourself with how to find the Queen Square Imaging Centre. Find us at:
Queen Square Imaging Centre
8-11 Queen Square
London
WC1N 3AR
tel: 020 7833 2513
When you arrive
When you arrive at the Queen Square Imaging Centre, please report to the reception desk where a member of staff will give you some paperwork to complete. This paperwork will include a safety checklist which is an important document which you should complete carefully and accurately.
Your radiographer will go through this checklist with you prior to going in to the CT scanner so do not worry if you are unsure how to answer any questions.
Preparing for your CT scan
The Radiographer will then explain how the CT scanning procedure works and will tell you everything you need to know to get you ready for your scan. You will be given a changing cubicle where you will be able to get ready for your scan in private and keep any belongings locked away safely.
If you need to have an injection of contrast dye for your scan, one of our staff will then take you to another area where they will place a cannula (a small plastic tube) into a vein in your arm.
Your radiographer will then take you into the scanning room, and ask you to lie down on the scanning table. They will then position you accurately so that the images we produce are of the best quality. Whilst doing this, your comfort is always taken into consideration.
Your CT scan
Once you are ready, the radiographer will then move you into the correct position in the scanner, at which point, all you have to do is lie still and relax.
The procedure is completely painless and you won’t feel anything during your CT scan. You will be asked to lie very still to ensure the images are clear. The table will move slowly during the scan but nothing will touch you. For some scans, we may ask you to hold your breath for a short time.
After your CT scan
Once your CT scan is finished, the radiographer will bring you out of the scanner and take you back to your changing cubicle where you can collect your belongings. If we have used an injection of contrast dye during your scan, we will the keep your cannula in place for at least 15 minutes before removing it.
You are welcome to sit in our waiting room for as long as you need before heading off. You should not feel any side effects from the scan, although it is not uncommon for people to feel a little disorientated for a short time after lying still in an unfamiliar environment.
After your scan, you are invited to provide us with anonymous feedback about the service we have provided, using one of our review kiosks. All feedback is gratefully received and used to guide future service developments. We hope your experience will be a positive one, but if you do feel the need to make a complaint, our complaints policy will provide you details on how to contact us.
Receiving your reports
We aim to provide a radiologist report for all of our scans on the same day in all but the most complex of cases. This report is sent directly to your doctor. Please note that we are unable to issue reports directly to the patient, although you may request a copy from your consultant if you wish.
You will also have access to your CT scan pictures. We typically offer this through our online Health Portal which is linked to your email address. However, we can also place your images onto a CD if you would prefer. When you see your doctor, you should share your images with them online, or take your CD with you. We will ask you when you are next seeing your doctor so that we can ensure that everything is available to them for when they need it.
Paying for your scan
If the cost of your scan is covered by an insurance policy, you do not need to do anything further as we will liaise with your insurer directly for billing. If you fund the cost of the scan yourself, a member of staff will take payment for the scan so that results can be released without delay.