Private Knee Ultrasound Scan in London
The soft tissues around the knee assessed under load, with an honest account of what ultrasound sees and what needs MRI. Explained on screen as we scan.
- 30-minute appointment — unhurried, where most clinics allow 20
- Structures assessed moving, not just at rest
- Findings at the scan; written report usually within two hours
- No GP referral required — self-refer today
- Straight answer if MRI is the better test
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
What is a knee ultrasound scan?
A knee ultrasound examines the soft tissues around the joint: the patellar and quadriceps tendons at the front, the collateral ligaments at the sides, the iliotibial band, the bursae, and the space behind the knee where a Baker’s cyst forms. It uses no radiation and needs no preparation.
Its advantage is that it works in real time. A tendon can be watched under load and a swelling assessed while the knee bends, which a still image cannot show.
It is also the joint where being straight about limits matters most, and we would rather say it here than after you have paid: the menisci, the cruciate ligaments and the cartilage surfaces are not reliably assessed by ultrasound. If your knee locks, gives way or swelled rapidly after a twist, MRI is the test you need.
Why might I need a knee scan?
Where the pain sits usually points at the structure. Pain below the kneecap that is worse jumping or running downhill suggests the patellar tendon; pain on the outer side arriving at a predictable distance into a run suggests the iliotibial band; a fullness behind the knee suggests a Baker’s cyst.
Those are all structures ultrasound sees clearly and can assess while you move. Where the story is instead one of locking, instability or rapid swelling after a twisting injury, the problem is usually inside the joint — and that is MRI territory rather than ours.
- Pain below the kneecap, worse jumping or running downhill
- Outer-side pain arriving at a predictable point in a run
- A lump or fullness behind the knee
- Swelling you want characterised
- Front-of-knee pain that has not settled with physiotherapy
- A tender collateral ligament after a sideways strain
- Patellar and quadriceps tendons, under load
- Medial and lateral collateral ligaments
- Iliotibial band at the outer knee
- Bursae around the joint
- Joint effusion — fluid within the knee
- Baker’s cyst, measured and distinguished from other swellings
- The other knee for comparison where it helps
A knee that locks and will not straighten, one that gives way completely, inability to bear weight after an injury, or a knee that swelled within an hour of a twist needs urgent care rather than a booked scan. A hot, swollen knee with fever needs same-day assessment through NHS 111 or A&E.
Is this scan suitable for me?
A knee ultrasound is a good fit if any of these sound like you:
- ✓Your pain is at the front, below the kneecap, and load-related
- ✓You have outer-side pain that comes on at a predictable distance
- ✓There is a lump or fullness behind your knee
- ✓Swelling you want identified rather than guessed at
- ✓Physiotherapy has stalled and you want to know what is there
- ✓You want to avoid radiation and start with the least invasive test
And when it is not the right booking
Your knee locks, gives way, or swelled fast after a twist — that points at the meniscus or a cruciate ligament, and neither is reliably seen on ultrasound. Ask your GP about MRI.
Arthritis or a bony injury is suspected — bone is an X-ray question, and we do not offer X-ray.
You want a general knee MOT — a scan without a specific question tends to find incidental change that was never causing trouble.
If a knee 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, no full bladder. Shorts or loose trousers help. The appointment is 30 minutes.
- 2
Your history firstWhere it hurts, what provokes it, whether it has ever locked or given way. That last question often decides whether ultrasound is even the right test.
- 3
Scanning at restWarm gel and a high-resolution linear transducer over the front, sides and back of the knee, bent and straight.
- 4
Scanning under loadTendons assessed with the muscle working, and any swelling watched as the knee moves.
- 5
Comparison where it helpsThe other knee is often scanned too — tendon appearance varies 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 the knee
Two compartments, and only one of them belongs to ultrasound.
Outside the joint
Tendons, ligaments, the iliotibial band and the bursae sit close to the surface. Ultrasound resolves them well and can watch them work — this is where it outperforms a static image.
Inside the joint
The menisci, cruciate ligaments and cartilage sit deep within the joint, shielded by bone. Ultrasound cannot assess them reliably, which is why MRI exists for knees.
Behind the knee
A Baker’s cyst is fluid tracking back from an irritated joint. Ultrasound both identifies it and, importantly, distinguishes it from a blood clot in the calf, which can present similarly.
What your report might say
A finding is not automatically your diagnosis. Degenerative change around the knee is common in people with no pain at all and becomes more common with age. What makes a finding relevant is whether it sits where you hurt and fits your story.
Find out what is actually there
A 30-minute assessment with the soft tissues watched under load, explained on screen as we scan, with your written report usually within two hours.
How we scan knees
Scanned by the person reporting it
The sonographer who scans you writes your report. Nothing goes to a remote reader.
Dynamic assessment as standard
Every knee is examined moving, not just at rest — tendon problems often only declare themselves under load.
Both knees when it helps
Comparing with your other side is frequently what makes a borderline finding interpretable.
We will send you elsewhere if needed
If your story points at the meniscus or a cruciate, we say MRI — on the phone if possible, before you book.
Knee ultrasound — your questions answered
Can ultrasound see a torn meniscus?
Can it see an ACL tear?
What is a Baker’s cyst?
So what is a knee ultrasound actually good for?
Do I need a GP referral?
How long does it take?
Should I have an X-ray instead?
Will you inject the knee?
Can I run while I wait for my appointment?
When will I get my report?
Other MSK scans we offer
Gluteal tendons and bursae at the outer hip, assessed properly.
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: knee pain after exercise and understanding your MSK report.
Where can you get a knee 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.
The right test, honestly advised
Tendons, ligaments, bursae and swellings around the knee assessed under load in a 30-minute appointment — explained on screen as we scan, with a straight answer if MRI is what you actually need.
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