How Do You Refer a Patient to ScanAlign?
You can refer a patient to ScanAlign, standing EOS imaging in Harley Street, in three steps. First, register as a referrer. Next, fill in the online referral form with the clinical question and the patient's details. Then we contact your patient directly to arrange their appointment in London. No separate letter from the patient's own doctor is needed.
Key points
- Any practitioner or referrer entitled under the UK IRMER regulations can refer a patient for imaging at ScanAlign.
- The whole referral process is online. No paper forms are needed.
- You need the clinical question, the body region and the patient's contact details.
- Reports are shared with you and with the patient. Find out how EOS scan results are reported.
- EOS captures weight-bearing, whole-body alignment with about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray.
Are you a clinician looking for standing, weight-bearing imaging for your patient? This page takes you through the private imaging referral process from start to finish. You may be a consultant, a physiotherapist, an osteopath or another qualified practitioner. Either way, referring is simple.
Who can refer a patient for an EOS scan?
Any practitioner who qualifies as a referrer under the UK IRMER regulations can refer a patient for imaging at ScanAlign. This includes doctors, surgeons, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors and podiatrists, among others. You do not need to be a hospital consultant or a general practitioner.
- Orthopaedic and spine surgeons
- General practitioners and sports medicine doctors
- Physiotherapists
- Osteopaths and chiropractors
- Podiatrists
- Other practitioners entitled under IRMER
- Patients booking for themselves without a clinical question (a free video consultation covers this)
- Practitioners not entitled under the IRMER regulations
- Referrals for children (ScanAlign is a service for adults only)
Not sure if your registration qualifies? Register to refer patients and the team will confirm whether you are eligible.
What is the private imaging referral process at ScanAlign?
The process has four simple steps. There is no paper form and no fax. No letter from the patient's own doctor is needed.
Create your practitioner account on the register to refer patients page. You only need to do this once. It takes a couple of minutes and confirms your IRMER referrer status.
Log in and send a referral. Enter your patient's name and contact details, the body region to be imaged, your clinical question and any relevant history. The form guides you through each field.
We get in touch with your patient directly to arrange an appointment that suits them at 19 Harley Street, London. Before they come, they can also check who our scan is suitable for.
After the scan, a specialist radiographer reviews the images. The report is shared with both you and your patient. Read more about how EOS scan results are reported.
What details do you need on an imaging referral form?
A clear and complete referral helps us justify the exposure under IRMER. It also helps us produce the most useful report for your patient. Here is what to include.
Full name, date of birth, contact number and email, so we can arrange the appointment.
What you want the imaging to answer. For example, "assess coronal and sagittal alignment pre-operatively" or "investigate leg length discrepancy".
Spine, lower limbs, full body or a specific area. EOS can capture the whole skeleton in a single standing exposure.
Previous surgery, known conditions, current symptoms and any earlier imaging. This helps put the findings in context.
You do not need to send a formal referral letter on letterhead. The online form captures everything we need. If you prefer to attach a letter, you can upload one during the referral.
What happens after you refer a patient for imaging?
Once you submit your referral, we contact the patient to book their appointment. The scan itself takes only a few minutes at our clinic at 19 Harley Street, London.
After the scan, the images are reviewed and a detailed report is written. The report is sent to you as the referring practitioner and to your patient. You can track the status of your referrals through your practitioner account.
Ready to refer? If you already have a practitioner account, you can send a referral now. If not, register to refer patients first.
Why refer for a standing EOS scan instead of a standard X-ray?
Standard imaging is usually done with the patient lying down. Lying down relaxes the muscles. This can hide alignment problems that only appear under load. EOS captures the full skeleton in a natural standing position. It shows how the spine, pelvis, hips, knees and ankles line up with each other under gravity.
The body works as a connected chain. So a tilt or shift in one area often causes another area to compensate. Pain may show up far from its actual cause. A standing, whole-body EOS image makes those compensations visible in a way that lying-down imaging of a single region cannot.
EOS also uses about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray, around ten times less. That makes it a practical choice when monitoring alignment over time or when several views are needed.
Before your patient starts treatment, or changes the treatment they are on, a detailed diagnosis is worth having. Knowing whether the cause sits in the pelvis, the legs or the spine changes what will actually help.
A note on MRI. EOS is excellent for bones, joints and alignment. If your clinical question involves soft tissue, discs or nerves, MRI is usually the better tool. The two work well together, and we are happy to advise on which suits your patient best.
Frequently asked questions about referring to ScanAlign
No. Any practitioner entitled to refer under the UK IRMER regulations can refer. This includes physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, podiatrists and others, not only doctors.
No. The online referral form captures all the information needed. You do not need a separate letter from the patient's doctor, but you are welcome to attach one if you prefer.
Go to the registration page to create your practitioner account. It takes a couple of minutes and you only need to do it once.
Include the patient's details, your clinical question, the body region to be scanned and any relevant history, such as previous surgery or known conditions. The clearer the clinical question, the more focused the report.
Very little. The patient should wear comfortable clothing without metal fastenings and be able to stand still for a short time. We give full instructions when the appointment is booked.
EOS uses about 90% less radiation than a standard X-ray, around ten times less. This makes it particularly suitable when repeated imaging or large-field views are needed.
ScanAlign is a self-pay service. The price for patients travelling from abroad is confirmed during the free video consultation. The patient pays directly and does not need insurance approval.
The report is sent to you electronically. You can also see it in your practitioner account. Your patient receives a copy as well.
If your patient needs urgent imaging, please contact the clinic directly so we can meet the request as quickly as possible. For true emergencies involving neurological symptoms such as sudden weakness, numbness or loss of bladder or bowel control, please send the patient to the nearest emergency department or call the local emergency number immediately.
Patients who do not have a referring practitioner can book a free video consultation with ScanAlign. During that consultation, the clinical question is set and eligibility is confirmed before any scan is booked.
Start referring your patients today
Create your practitioner account in minutes and send your first referral online.
Register to refer patients Send a referralSources
- The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IR(ME)R). UK Statutory Instruments 2017 No. 1322.
- Deschênes S, Charron G, Beaudoin G, et al. Diagnostic imaging of spinal deformities: reducing patients' radiation dose with a new slot-scanning X-ray imager. Spine. 2010;35(9):989-994.
- Royal College of Radiologists. iRefer: Making the best use of clinical radiology. RCR, London.
Written by Abbas Dhami (Specialist Diagnostic Radiographer)
This page is general information and not a diagnosis.
ScanAlign is the trading name of CoreMed Solutions Ltd and operates under The Harley Street Hospital's CQC licence.