Affordable Imaging in Houston, TX

Depending on the imaging center, you may need to take your temperature taken before entering, wait in the car until your appointment time, or come without non-essential friends or family to help the facility’s social distancing efforts.

Each imaging center follows slightly different guidelines and will inform you of any and all safety protocols before your appointment

There are two types of MRI scans, one with contrast and one without contrast. The main difference between an MRI with contrast and an MRI without contrast is that one is clearer than the other.

For MRIs with contrast, a type of dye is injected into the body prior to the scan. An MRI without contrast forgoes this injection. MRIs without contrast are preferred for for patients for whom dye is not recommended, such as pregnant women and kidney-compromised patients. Your referring clinician will determine which type of MRI is appropriate for you.

Cancer diagnoses right now are down compared to last year, which means many are deferring exams that needs to happen. This can be a problem, because it's important to catch cancer early.

If you're at high risk for breast cancer or have acute symptoms or abnormal labs, you should not put off getting screened.

Risk assessment and the decision of when to get a mammgoram should be discussed with you doctor.

Make sure you know clearly if the radiologist's interpretation is included in the cost of the exam. This is often how someone gets a surprise bill later.

You'll also want to bring any past exams or imaging (often stored on a CD) to your mammogram. This could save you time and money.

p.s. With Sesame, every mammogram includes interpretation.

In many cases, imaging in a hospital system can be up to 3x more expensive than at an outpatient facility or with an independent doctor.

That means imaging with independent facilities and doctors can often save you time and money.

Through insurance, you're subject to a co-pay, deductible, and any co-insurance required on imaging that is often more expensive. But at an independent facility, you can see clear costs upfront and often pay a much better price.

Even with insurance, it may still be better for you to pay cash, especially if you have a high deductible that you don't expect to hit this year. Imaging booked directly with an independent facility or doctor lets you bypass the insurance bureaucracy, mark-ups, and hidden fees - and pay one competitive price for your exam.