Where can I get the best MRI prices in Bangkok, elsewhere in Thailand or the region?

[JPinThailand]

I need to do an MRI of my spine in 2 places. The neck part and the lower spine part (its called the lumbar).

The doctor said its from my weightlifting (bodybuilding). X-rays show problems in both areas. The technical words he used is thoracic syndrome for the neck and spondylolisthesis for the bottom back and legs. He says its important to get MRIs' to see the nerves in more detail including if there are compression issues.

What do you think is the cheapest place to get this done? Im in Bangkok now, but I move around Thailand a lot, plus I'll go to Vietnam in the next month, so I can do it anywhere in the region.

St Louis Hospital here in BKK made me a quote of 20,000 THB for the whole thing. Thats like 10k each for the neck and the bottom spine. I looked at prices previously written about on this forum and it seems thats not a horrible price, but its still a lot of money so I want to see if I can shave that and get it done somewhere cheaper, especially because I can do it anywhere. Ive gotta pay it myself, no insurance right now, so I dont want to throw my money away on a sketch place that gives useless results, but I dont care if the place is fancy or whatnot, I just want the cheapest legit place.

Thanks everyone.

[lopburi3]

My wife had done in Government hospital (lumbar) as a Thai and it still cost 10,000 baht ten years ago. MRI is not cheap as it is extremely expensive equipment and needs trained operators as well as those reading results.

[Sheryl]

Actually 20,000 baht for both cervical and lumbar spine is quite good and I doubt you can get 2 MRIs done for any less in Thailand. Would be double that at a for profit hospital.

Viet Nam would definitely be less expensive due to its greater population density. The cost of an MRI is directly related to the volume of patients, which in turn is related to the population size served. The machine is expensive and the facility has to recoup its investment in it within just a few years. So the more MRIs they can do per day, the less they have to charge per (it is very inexpensive in India for this reason).

I have heard something in the range of 2 million dong for an MRI at the Franco-Vietnamese Hospital in HCMC - that info is a few years old so may have gone up but still a fraction of what it would cost in Thailand.

[DogNo1]

Two million dong = $80 US X2 = $160 Plus plane ticket and stay of several days in HCMC would probably set you back $400+. Getting the two MRIs in Thailand would cost you $560. If you like to travel, you might save $100 or more by going to HCMC but after taxi fares, etc. there may be no savings at all.

[Sheryl]

per his post, he's already got a trip to VN planned next month for other purposes. So no additional travel costs involved

[JPinThailand]

Thanks for the info, Sheryl. Thats really helpful. I looked at the website of the FrancoVietnamese in Saigon, but they don't have prices listed, so I'm calling to try to get updated prices.

I have 2 questions for you:

Are there any medical centers in Thailand which would be worth going to ask for cheaper MRIs? I tried calling a couple, I was very specific about what I want and I even got a Thai girl do it so there are no language problems, but it was still a pain to get any real price quotes on the phone. But in person works. So I figured to just go in person to a few places, since they give me a price when they have to look me in the face, you know. Which places would you suggest, in Bangkok or anywhere like Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai?

I probably will have to do surgery so I can keep lifting. It will be smthng they call spinal fuzion. I'm totally flexible about where to do it, I can do it in Thailand or in Vietnam. If MRI is so much cheaper in Vietnam as you say, then it made me start thinking about the eventual surgery. How is quality and price of surgery in Saigon compared to Bangkok or some other place in Thailand? Im paying myself, so price really matters. I want good quality results obviously, not some sketch place, but I dont wanna pay for plush lux service thats just not necessary.

Thanks.

[oncearugge]

Thanks for the info, Sheryl. Thats really helpful. I looked at the website of the FrancoVietnamese in Saigon, but they don't have prices listed, so I'm calling to try to get updated prices.

I have 2 questions for you:

Are there any medical centers in Thailand which would be worth going to ask for cheaper MRIs? I tried calling a couple, I was very specific about what I want and I even got a Thai girl do it so there are no language problems, but it was still a pain to get any real price quotes on the phone. But in person works. So I figured to just go in person to a few places, since they give me a price when they have to look me in the face, you know. Which places would you suggest, in Bangkok or anywhere like Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai?

I probably will have to do surgery so I can keep lifting. It will be smthng they call spinal fuzion. I'm totally flexible about where to do it, I can do it in Thailand or in Vietnam. If MRI is so much cheaper in Vietnam as you say, then it made me start thinking about the eventual surgery. How is quality and price of surgery in Saigon compared to Bangkok or some other place in Thailand? Im paying myself, so price really matters. I want good quality results obviously, not some sketch place, but I dont wanna pay for plush lux service thats just not necessary.

Thanks.

Make inquiry to the place in the link

http://www.mrithailand.com/index.php?modules=article&parent_id=1&id=24

[Sheryl]

Thanks for the info, Sheryl. Thats really helpful. I looked at the website of the FrancoVietnamese in Saigon, but they don't have prices listed, so I'm calling to try to get updated prices.

I have 2 questions for you:

Are there any medical centers in Thailand which would be worth going to ask for cheaper MRIs? I tried calling a couple, I was very specific about what I want and I even got a Thai girl do it so there are no language problems, but it was still a pain to get any real price quotes on the phone. But in person works. So I figured to just go in person to a few places, since they give me a price when they have to look me in the face, you know. Which places would you suggest, in Bangkok or anywhere like Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai?

I probably will have to do surgery so I can keep lifting. It will be smthng they call spinal fuzion. I'm totally flexible about where to do it, I can do it in Thailand or in Vietnam. If MRI is so much cheaper in Vietnam as you say, then it made me start thinking about the eventual surgery. How is quality and price of surgery in Saigon compared to Bangkok or some other place in Thailand? Im paying myself, so price really matters. I want good quality results obviously, not some sketch place, but I dont wanna pay for plush lux service thats just not necessary.

Thanks.

You have already been quoted a rock bottom price from a non profit hospital. You are not going to find it for less at any hospital in Thailand, in fact virtually all will be much more.

You can try the stand alone imaging center mentioned above, but it will probably be about the same or even a little higher. Certainly nothing like the price you can get in VN.

Surgery is another matter though, as the expertise of the surgeon is critical. I suggest you consult Dr. Wicharn at Bangkok Christian Hospital (Saturdays I think, but check -- he is most of the time at BNH hospital but surgery costs more there). He is IMO the best spinal specialist in Thailand. You can undoubtedly get the procedure done in VN for less cost but I cannot say re the outcome and personally would not risk it .

When you get the MRI, get the actual film and bring it to him. the report isn't important as he will itnerpret the MRI himself.

[BB24]

As everyone has said - it is expensive to get an MRI done in Thailand. Last year I went through this issue and researched a lot.

My advice to you is that cost is NOT the number one factor you need to be concerned about. The number one factor about getting an MRI done for such serious issues, is the quality of the MRI machine itself. The second most important factor is the quality of the radiographer using the machine's images and providing the diagnosis/analysis. The third most important factor is the quality and experience of the surgeon who will verify the diagnosis/analysis and be performing any proceedures recommended/required.

There are plenty of websites (outside Thailand) that provide detailed and up to date infomration about MRI machines - they are NOT all the same. Siemens, GE and Phillips are the 3 biggest manufacturers - they each have websites detailing their models. Plus, there are many other medical sites that provide good information - including the types and sizes (there are many). Are you are at all claustrophic? Maybe you dont know yet - well get squeezed into an old noisey MRI machine with a small opening and you will find out !! The newer MRI machines are all being made with big openings and smaller lengths, and many have the ability to hear the technicians and even listen music. This is because many people found themselves freaking out when inside - each set of pictures takes 20-30 minutes and you are basically lying inside a long tube (like a round coffin). Dont worry too much if you are - the newer machines cater for this issue and there are 'specialist' medications you can take to calm you down for a period while the MRIs are being done. Things like what you mentioned are absolutely best done with MRIs - XRays and CT Scanners just dont cut it.

Amd when it comes to the quality of the images, a 10 year old MRI machine is nowwhere near as good as this year's model, AND a 20 year old machine is ancient - think VGA to Composite to Component to HDMI (SD to HD to UHD). MRI technologies (hardware and software) are evolving fast and getter better every year - I found CM is NOT up to date in this area. When I asked many hospitals/clinics here what model MRI machine they had, they usually had no idea. And when the few who did answered, they would give me the brand name, but had no idea what model or type etc. So I started to go and look myself - I went to one 'MRI Clinic' that said they had a Siemens MRI machine that was about a year old - it was an ancient model that was first released over 20 years ago. The reality is they probably did buy it a year ago (upgraded) - but it was not a decent machine compared to what is available now. And I found out that is what happens to old MRI machines - they are traded-in on the latest models (mostly by hospitals in USA) then get upgraded (refurbished) and are then sold sold on into another hospital/country and eventually (after a few trades and upgrades) they are sold on to other hospitals/clinics/countries (like the one in CM). There is a huge market in used MRI devices in the 2nd/3rd world - they cannot afford the newest MRI machines.

I recommend that you do some research on MRI machines and the technologies, and check out the bigger Hospitals in Bangkok personally - ask to look at the machine itself and get its brand and model and type. I noticed that the bigger Hospitals in Bangkok seemed to have the newer machines (based on web pictures and calls), but I didnt want to go that far just to find out. I eventually gave up trying to find a Hospital with a 'genuine' new MRI in CM and I went and got it done back home (and the diagnosis/treatment). If you find a newer MRI machine in Bangkok, it is likely that the hospital is experienced in using it (specialists will be using it a lot) - newer MRI machines cost too much to be sitting around not being used a lot. If you do find one with a new model machine, then I suggest you get that hospital to recommend a specialist/surgeon (or 2/3) who is experienced in your area of need, and then check them out yourself (and see if they are recommended by people on this and other social media sites).

Good luck - hope it all goes well - and keep the weights down for a while

[JPinThailand]

Got it. Thanks for the help, Sheryl. You steered me good. I get your point.

Heh, BB24, yup, MRIs are damn expensive in Thailand. Good to know that MRIs arent all the same. I'm not claustriphobic so no issues with that. Thanks for the tips.

[nev]

Had one done on my lower back not so long ago in srinakhrind hospital khonkaen, it cost me 8500 baht but I was in the hospital already with a prostate problem maybe why it was cheaper, as I was quoted 10,000 to 12,000 baht first up, also I did not move at all when in the machine which helped with finishing the scan early.