Private Hip Ultrasound Scan in London
Outer hip pain assessed properly — gluteal tendons and bursae, with an honest account of what ultrasound sees and what the joint itself needs instead.
- 30-minute appointment — unhurried, where most clinics allow 20
- Gluteal tendon attachments and bursae assessed in detail
- Findings at the scan; written report usually within two hours
- No GP referral required — self-refer today
- Straight answer if the joint itself is the problem
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
What is a hip ultrasound scan?
A hip ultrasound examines the soft tissues over the bony point on the outside of the hip: the gluteal tendon attachments and the bursae that sit between them and the bone. It uses no radiation and needs no preparation.
Being straight about scope from the start: ultrasound does not assess the hip joint itself. The joint sits deep, and its cartilage, labrum and bone are not properly seen. Groin pain, stiffness and suspected arthritis are X-ray and MRI questions arranged through your GP.
If your pain is on the outside of the hip, though, this is exactly the right test — those structures are superficial and ultrasound resolves them well.
Why might I need a hip scan?
The classic picture is a deep ache on the bony point of the hip, worse lying on that side at night, worse on stairs, and worse standing on one leg to put trousers on. For years that was labelled trochanteric bursitis — an inflamed fluid sac.
Imaging has shifted that view. In most cases the gluteal tendons attaching there are the primary problem, with any bursal swelling secondary. The distinction matters: tendon problems respond to progressive loading, where treating it as pure inflammation with rest alone tends to disappoint.
- Deep ache on the bony point of the outer hip
- Pain lying on that side at night
- Worse on stairs or standing on one leg
- A limp that has developed gradually
- Physiotherapy that has stalled
- Suspicion of a gluteal tendon tear
- Gluteal medius and minimus tendon attachments
- Tendon thickening, disorganisation and tears
- Trochanteric and associated bursae
- Fluid collections, measured
- The iliotibial band as it passes the hip
- The other side for comparison where it helps
Inability to bear weight after a fall, a leg that looks shortened or turned out, or a hot swollen hip with fever needs same-day assessment — A&E or NHS 111, not a booked scan. Ultrasound does not show hip fractures; that is an X-ray question.
Is this scan suitable for me?
A hip ultrasound is a good fit if any of these sound like you:
- ✓Your pain is on the outside of the hip, not the groin
- ✓It is tender to press on the bony point
- ✓Lying on that side at night is painful
- ✓Stairs and single-leg standing provoke it
- ✓A loading programme has not shifted it
- ✓You want to know whether a tendon has torn before deciding on treatment
And when it is not the right booking
Your pain is in the groin — that usually means the joint itself, which ultrasound does not assess. An X-ray through your GP is the right first step.
You suspect arthritis — joint surfaces and bone need X-ray or MRI. We do not offer either.
Buttock pain radiating down the leg — that is more often referred from the lower back or nerve-related, and needs a different assessment.
If a hip ultrasound is not the right test for you, we will say so before you book — not after.
What happens on the day
- 1
Arrive — no preparation neededNothing to fast for and no full bladder. Wear something that allows access to the outer hip. The appointment is 30 minutes.
- 2
Your history firstExactly where it hurts, whether nights are worse, and what you have already tried. Groin versus outer hip is the question that decides whether this is even the right scan.
- 3
The scanMostly lying on your side. Warm gel and a high-resolution transducer over the tendon attachments and bursae.
- 4
Dynamic assessment where it helpsTendons assessed with the muscles working, since a tendon problem often only declares itself under load.
- 5
ComparisonThe other hip is often scanned too — tendon appearances vary between people.
- 6
Findings explained on screenYou see what we see during the scan, with the written report usually with you within two hours.
Understanding outer hip pain
Why the old label was incomplete, and what the scan actually settles.
The gluteal tendons
Gluteus medius and minimus attach to the bony point of the hip and stabilise your pelvis every time you stand on one leg. Overload those attachments and the tissue thickens, disorganises and sometimes tears.
The bursae
Thin cushions between tendon and bone. They can distend, but imaging shows they are usually secondary to the tendon problem rather than the primary cause — which is why the umbrella term is now greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
The joint, which we cannot see
The hip joint sits deep beneath muscle. Its cartilage, labrum and bone are outside what ultrasound resolves, so groin pain and suspected arthritis need X-ray or MRI instead.
What your report might say
Complete rest is rarely the answer. Tendons left unloaded tend to become less capable, not more. Avoiding the specific provoking positions while building strength progressively is the usual direction — a physiotherapist should set the detail.
Tendon or bursa — know which
Gluteal tendon attachments and bursae assessed properly in a 30-minute appointment, explained on screen as we scan, with your report usually within two hours.
How we scan hips
Scanned by the person reporting it
The sonographer who scans you writes your report. Nothing goes to a remote reader.
Tendon-first assessment
We look at the tendon attachments as the primary structure, not just the bursa — which is what current imaging supports.
Both hips when it helps
Comparison with your other side is often what makes a borderline finding interpretable.
Honest about the joint
If the picture points at the joint rather than the tendons, the report says so and names the test that would answer it.
Hip ultrasound — your questions answered
Is trochanteric bursitis the right diagnosis?
Why does it hurt so much at night?
Will an ultrasound show hip arthritis?
Do I need a scan before physiotherapy?
Can a gluteal tendon tear?
Should I rest completely?
My pain is in the groin. Is this the right scan?
Do I need a GP referral?
Will you inject the hip?
When will I get my report?
Other MSK scans we offer
Tendons, ligaments, bursae and Baker cysts assessed under load.
See the scan →
AnkleAnkle Ultrasound Scan
Achilles, ligaments and tendons around the ankle.
See the scan →
All MSKAll MSK Scans
The full range of musculoskeletal ultrasound we offer.
See scans →
Further reading: outer hip pain — bursitis or gluteal tendinopathy and understanding your MSK report.
Where can you get a hip ultrasound in London?
Our clinic is at 5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED — a quiet mews three minutes on foot from Notting Hill Gate, serving Kensington, Notting Hill, Holland Park, Bayswater and central London.
Short-notice appointments are often available, including for people facing a long wait elsewhere. Call 0203 051 6506 for today’s availability.
Getting here
By tube: Notting Hill Gate — three minutes’ walk.
By bus: Routes along Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street stop nearby.
By car: On-street parking nearby — full options in directions & parking.
Assessed properly, explained clearly
Gluteal tendon attachments and bursae assessed in a 30-minute appointment — explained on screen as we scan, with a report a physiotherapist can build a loading programme around.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.
Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415 — over 20 years’ experience in NHS and private ultrasound · Reviewed 10 August 2026