Shenzhen · 深圳
MRI in Shenzhen for foreigners: official price caps in 2026
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
MRI in Shenzhen is capped at ¥505 per body area in the city’s top price grade, which covers Grade 3 hospitals, and drops to ¥404 at clinics without beds.
- MRI of one body area without contrast: at most ¥505 (about $75).
- MRI with contrast: at most ¥550 per area, plus the contrast medicine.
- CT of one body area: at most ¥231 without contrast, ¥305 with contrast.
- PET-CT, whole body: at most ¥5,000 for the scan, plus the tracer.
- Official rules: Shen Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 8 and [2026] No. 1, in force since 30 April 2025.
Shenzhen took over the Guangdong provincial radiology prices on 30 April 2025 and uses them unchanged for its top grade. What makes Shenzhen different is its four price grades: Grade 3 hospitals charge 100%, Grade 2 hospitals 95%, Grade 1 hospitals 90% and facilities without beds, such as community health centres and clinics, 80%.
A second Shenzhen notice in January 2026 left the prices alone but added ceilings per exam: however many body areas are scanned, one plain MRI exam may not cost more than ¥1,515, a contrast MRI exam ¥1,650, a plain CT exam ¥693 and a contrast CT exam ¥915.
Official MRI, CT and PET-CT prices in Shenzhen
Shenzhen has four price grades. The table shows grade one, which applies to Grade 3 hospitals; Grade 2 hospitals charge 95%, Grade 1 hospitals 90% and clinics without beds 80%. These caps apply to the ordinary outpatient service of public hospitals. Dollar figures use the official rate of ¥6.7162 to $1 on 26 October 2026, rounded.
| Exam | Chinese item name | Unit | Maximum | About |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI without contrast | MR平扫 | per body area | ¥505 | $75 |
| MRI with contrast | MR增强 | per body area | ¥550 | $82 |
| MR angiography, no contrast | MR平扫成像（血管） | per vessel | ¥572 | $85 |
| MR angiography with contrast | MR增强成像（血管） | per vessel | ¥627 | $93 |
| CT without contrast | CT平扫 | per body area | ¥231 | $34 |
| CT with contrast | CT增强 | per body area | ¥305 | $45 |
| CT angiography (CTA) | CT造影成像（血管） | per vessel | ¥572 | $85 |
| PET-CT, one area | PET/CT（局部） | per exam, scan fee only | ¥2,500 | $372 |
| PET-CT, torso | PET/CT（躯干） | per exam, scan fee only | ¥4,000 | $596 |
| PET-CT, whole body | PET/CT 躯干 + 全身加收 | per exam, scan fee only | ¥5,000 | $744 |
Smaller hospitals charge less: Grade 2 hospital ¥480 for plain MRI and ¥219 for plain CT; Grade 1 hospital ¥455 for plain MRI and ¥208 for plain CT; Clinic without beds ¥404 for plain MRI and ¥185 for plain CT.
How Shenzhen charges for more than one area
More than three body areas are charged as three; more than two vessels as two. Since 30 January 2026 one exam is capped at ¥1,515 for plain MRI, ¥1,650 for contrast MRI, ¥693 for plain CT and ¥915 for contrast CT. A contrast scan done straight after a plain scan of the same area is charged at 50%.
| What you have done | Scan fee cap | About |
|---|---|---|
| MRI, one area, no contrast | ¥505 | $75 |
| MRI, two areas, no contrast (e.g. both knees) | ¥1,010 | $150 |
| MRI, three areas, no contrast | ¥1,515 | $226 |
| MRI, one area, plain then contrast in one visit | ¥780 | $116 |
| CT, two areas, no contrast | ¥462 | $69 |
Our arithmetic from the official rules. Excludes contrast medicine, the outpatient registration and consultation fee, and any international-department surcharge.
Other rules in the Shenzhen schedule
- These are the Guangdong provincial maximums; Shenzhen adopted them unchanged for its top grade.
What a visitor to Shenzhen actually pays
Shenzhen sits next to Hong Kong, and many residents of Hong Kong cross the border for medical care. The prices on this page are the mainland public-hospital caps in yuan; they are not Hong Kong prices, and Hong Kong residents are not treated differently under the schedule.
Hospitals with international or VIP services in Shenzhen set their own prices for them. We have not found a Shenzhen hospital that publishes an MRI price for its international service, so we do not quote one. Ask the hospital for the price of your exact exam in writing.
An international department or private hospital is not bound by these caps and usually charges several times more. Always ask for the price of your exact exam in writing before you pay.
Getting a scan in Shenzhen: the practical steps
- Choose the service. The ordinary outpatient service is cheapest but works in Chinese. An international department costs more and has English-speaking staff.
- Register with your passport. A doctor at that hospital sees you and orders the scan. Read MRI without a referral in China.
- Pay, then get a scan time. Bring a way to pay; see entering China and paying as a visitor.
- Collect the report and images. Ask for the images as DICOM files: DICOM and English reports.
Compare with other cities
MRI in Beijing
¥470one-area MRI cap, about $70
MRI in Shanghai
¥430one-area MRI cap, about $64
MRI in Guangzhou
¥505one-area MRI cap, about $75
All four cities side by side: MRI, CT and PET-CT price table. Back to the China MRI cost overview.
MRI in Shenzhen: common questions
How much does an MRI cost in Shenzhen?
At most ¥505 per body area without contrast in a Grade 3 public hospital, ¥480 in a Grade 2 hospital and ¥404 at a clinic without beds. One plain MRI exam is capped at ¥1,515 in total.
Why is Shenzhen dearer than Beijing for MRI?
Shenzhen and Guangzhou use the Guangdong provincial maximums, which are higher than Beijing’s and Shanghai’s for MRI and CT. PET-CT caps are the same in all four cities.
Is a contrast scan after a plain scan charged twice?
Partly. If the contrast scan follows a plain scan of the same area in one visit, the contrast part is charged at 50%: ¥505 plus ¥275, or ¥780.
Can I get an MRI in Shenzhen on a day trip from Hong Kong?
The scan itself is usually short, but you first need an outpatient visit at the hospital to have it ordered, and the hospital decides when it can schedule you. Ask the hospital before you plan the trip.
Sources
- Shenzhen forwarding of the Guangdong notice on radiology examination price items, Shen Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 8 (深医保发〔2025〕8号), Annex 2 (in Chinese). Shenzhen Healthcare Security Administration, 27 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Shen Yi Bao Fa [2026] No. 1 (深医保发〔2026〕1号): revised charging notes for radiology items, prices unchanged (in Chinese). Shenzhen Healthcare Security Administration, 30 January 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Shen Yi Bao Fa [2019] No. 13 (深医保发〔2019〕13号): price grades for medical institutions in Shenzhen (in Chinese). Shenzhen Healthcare Security Administration, undefined 2019. Read 26 October 2026.
- Guangdong notice publishing radiology examination price items, Yue Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 5 (粤医保发〔2025〕5号), read in the Shenzhen and Guangzhou forwarding notices (in Chinese). Guangdong Provincial Healthcare Security Administration, 14 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- RMB central parity rates, 26 October 2026 (USD/CNY 6.7162). China Foreign Exchange Trade System (chinamoney.com.cn), 26 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.