MRI by body area
Brain MRI cost in China, with and without contrast
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
A brain MRI in China costs at most ¥430 to ¥505 without contrast and ¥455 to ¥550 with contrast in the ordinary service of a large public hospital, about $64 to $82 at the official rate.
- Without contrast: ¥430 to ¥505 per area at a Grade 3 public hospital (about $64 to $75).
- With contrast: ¥455 to ¥555 per area, plus the contrast medicine.
- Private list price in Shanghai (SIMC): ¥3,500 for one site, about $521.
- Coordinator packages: from $250 to $450 on their own price pages.
The head is one body area. Imaging the brain’s blood vessels (MR angiography, MRA) is priced separately, per vessel, so a brain MRI plus MRA is one area plus one vessel item.
Brain MRI is ordered for headaches with warning signs, dizziness, suspected stroke, seizures, follow-up of known findings and many other reasons. A doctor decides whether contrast is needed; for some questions it is, for others it is not. Because contrast changes the price, both columns are shown below.
If you have new, sudden or severe symptoms, such as weakness on one side, trouble speaking, the worst headache of your life or a seizure, do not plan a trip. Go to an emergency department wherever you are.
Brain MRI price caps by city
Maximum scan fee in the ordinary service of a Grade 3 public hospital, from each city's official 2025 schedule and our arithmetic from its charging rules. Dollar figures at ¥6.7162 to $1 (26 October 2026).
| Scan | Beijing | Shanghai | Shenzhen | Guangzhou |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brain, no contrast | ¥470 about $70 | ¥430 about $64 | ¥505 about $75 | ¥505 about $75 |
| Brain, plain then contrast | ¥555 about $83 | ¥455 about $68 | ¥780 about $116 | ¥780 about $116 |
| Brain plus MRA of the head vessels, no contrast | ¥870 about $130 | ¥940 about $140 | ¥1,077 about $160 | ¥1,077 about $160 |
Excludes contrast medicine, the registration and consultation fee, and special sequences. Smaller hospitals in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou have lower caps. Where a vessel item is added we charge it in full; ask the hospital how it combines items in one exam.
What a foreign visitor pays in practice
The caps above bind the ordinary outpatient service, where staff mostly speak Chinese and you queue with everyone else. Three other routes cost more:
- International or VIP departments of public hospitals have English-speaking staff and set their own prices. Few publish an MRI price; ask for one in writing.
- Private international hospitals. SIMC in Shanghai lists ¥3,500 for a one-site MRI and ¥4,000 with contrast, marked as for reference only.
- Coordination services book the hospital, interpret and arrange an English report. China MedPass publishes MRI from $250; MRI in China publishes from $450, all-in with an English report and DICOM files.
Brain MRI: China compared with other countries
| Where | Price | What the figure is |
|---|---|---|
| China, public cap | ¥430 to ¥505 | ordinary service, Grade 3 hospital, scan fee only |
| USA | $2,306 | median hospital cash price for a brain MRI with and without contrast (JAMA Network Open, July 2021 data) |
| UK | £360 + £125 | Vista Health standard MRI plus contrast |
| Canada (Alberta) | C$799 + C$175 | Insight Medical Imaging brain MRI plus contrast |
A lower scan fee is not the whole cost. Add flights, hotel, time off work and help with the language, and check that your doctor at home will accept a Chinese report. The MRI wait vs China calculator adds these up.
Before a brain mri
- Gadolinium contrast is given through a vein. Tell the hospital about kidney disease, earlier reactions to contrast, and if you are or may be pregnant.
- Tell staff about any implant, including pacemakers, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips and nerve stimulators, and bring the implant card if you have one.
- A scan with contrast or MRA takes longer than a plain one. If you get anxious in enclosed spaces, say so when the scan is ordered.
Safety information here is general, summarised from RadiologyInfo.org, and not medical advice. The hospital's own safety questionnaire and your doctor decide whether a scan is safe for you. See the medical disclaimer.
Getting the scan and the results
In China a doctor at the hospital orders the scan, even if you bring a referral from home: read MRI in China without a referral. Ask for the images as DICOM files and for an English report if you need one: DICOM files and English reports. For entry rules and paying as a visitor, see entering China for a scan.
Other MRI prices
Knee MRI cost in China
One knee is one body area under all four city schedules, so a single knee is charged once.
Lumbar spine MRI cost in China
The lumbar spine is one body area.
All MRI, CT and PET-CT prices
Every item, four cities, with sources.
Back to the China MRI cost overview.
Brain MRI in China: common questions
How much is a brain MRI in China?
At most ¥470 in Beijing, ¥430 in Shanghai and ¥505 in Shenzhen and Guangzhou without contrast, in the ordinary service of a Grade 3 public hospital. With contrast the caps are ¥555, ¥455 and ¥550.
Is a brain MRI with contrast charged twice?
In Beijing and Shanghai a plain plus contrast scan of the head is charged once, at the contrast price. In Shenzhen and Guangzhou the contrast part after a plain scan is charged at 50%, so ¥505 plus ¥275, or ¥780. The contrast medicine itself is extra everywhere.
How much does an MRA of the brain cost?
MRA is priced per vessel: up to ¥400 in Beijing, ¥510 in Shanghai and ¥572 in Shenzhen and Guangzhou without contrast, on top of the brain MRI if both are done.
Is a head CT cheaper than a brain MRI?
Yes. A head CT is capped at ¥133 to ¥231, but it answers different questions. Your doctor decides which one you need.
Sources
- Notice on standardising, adjusting and adding medical service price items, Jing Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 13 (京医保发〔2025〕13号), Annex 3: radiology examinations (in Chinese). Beijing Municipal Healthcare Security Administration and Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, 17 June 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Notice on standardising and adjusting radiology examination price items in Shanghai, Hu Yi Bao Jia Cai Fa [2025] No. 11 (沪医保价采发〔2025〕11号) (in Chinese). Shanghai Municipal Healthcare Security Administration and Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, 16 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- 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.
- Guangzhou forwarding of the Guangdong notices on radiology and other price items, Sui Yi Bao Fa [2025] No. 12 (穗医保发〔2025〕12号), Annex 3 (in Chinese). Guangzhou Healthcare Security Administration, 25 April 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Comparison of US Hospital Cash Prices and Commercial Negotiated Prices for 70 Services (Jiang, Makary, Bai), JAMA Network Open 2021;4(12):e2140526. JAMA Network Open, 21 December 2021. Read 26 October 2026.
- MRI scans: prices. Vista Health (UK private diagnostics). Read 26 October 2026.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): private MRI prices. Insight Medical Imaging, Alberta. Read 26 October 2026.
- MRI safety. RadiologyInfo.org (American College of Radiology and RSNA), 22 December 2025. Read 26 October 2026.
- Contrast materials safety. RadiologyInfo.org (American College of Radiology and RSNA), 25 August 2024. 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.