Singapore Expats

I had a fall and hurt my knee. The ortho doctor has asked me do MRI scan of the knee which he says costs around $1100. Any one knows a clinic in Singapore where it is cheaper
The alternate is to do a CT scan which is not very good

I've never shopped around but the last bill I saw was $1,000 before the imaging agents. Price seems reasonable, although maybe someone else knows of cheaper options.

amrita123 wrote: ↑

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 3:11 pm

I had a fall and hurt my knee. The ortho doctor has asked me do MRI scan of the knee which he says costs around $1100. Any one knows a clinic in Singapore where it is cheaper
The alternate is to do a CT scan which is not very good

Have you already gotten an x-ray? Normally that is the first step, and costs less than $100.

When might an MRI be needed? When much more detail is needed — for example, if some intricate surgery is required to correct it. However, I’m no doctor, so take what I’m saying for what it’s worth.

I can tell you that I’ve experienced doctors in Singapore blatantly trying to milk me for money more than once (and I don’t go to the doctor very often). Once for our maid checkup - they wanted to charge more than 4x the norm and include a bunch of unnecessary stuff (they only sprung it on me afterwards, and I refused). Another was for my vaccination, they wanted to include a bunch of immunity tests that were unnecessary (I also refused, much to the doctors chagrin). I won’t even get into the misdiagnosis and carelessness that I’ve experienced. Not unique to Singapore, it happens just about everywhere.

amrita123 wrote: ↑

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 3:11 pm

I had a fall and hurt my knee. The ortho doctor has asked me do MRI scan of the knee which he says costs around $1100. Any one knows a clinic in Singapore where it is cheaper
The alternate is to do a CT scan which is not very good

You need to get an X-ray done first. Only if nothing shows on the X-ray should you get an MRI.

I severely sprained my ankle while offroad riding down the Ho Chi Minh Trail... I permitted my motorcycle to slide off the crown of a logging road, hit a large rock hidden in the deep fine dust and was thrown from my bike.

I got back to Singapore and my sprain was not getting better... almost too painful to walk on at all. The sports medicine clinic did an X-ray. Nothing showed up. So, the doctor did an MRI and found a hairline fracture in my tibia... it had shifted and was already healing so nothing was done and it hasn't otherwise affected me. The Point: Your doc should start with an X-ray and only if nothing shows up should you consider an MRI. If the doctor doesn't want to do it that way, you need a new doc.

I've had my knees X-rayed several times. X-rays easily show torn ligaments and worn cartilage or other cartilage damage. Most probably, you've torn or strained a ligament, damaged the cartilage, or fractured a bone in your knee or kneecap. Bone damage and partially torn ligaments might require an MRI for something that is hairline.

You should ask your doctor what he's looking for with an MRI and why the X-ray won't work.

I had an X-Ray done 3 weeks ago followed by medications. But still getting pain while walking and climbing stairs . The Doctor is suspecting a tear of the menscus . So he has asked for MRI

The story from SE reminds me of the time I broke my ankle. I went to Tan Tok Seng Hospital and they did an x-ray but couldn’t see anything - so the clever doctor decided to push on it while taking another x-ray, and sure enough, the hairline fracture was revealed. Honestly though, I knew it was broke because I heard the crack when it happened and then saw golf ball sized hematoma.

My husband once needed a CT scan for kidney stone. We went to a Radiology centre in Johor which was walking distance from the Singapore check point . Got the CT done there at less than half the price in Singapore . My Singapore doctor seemed happy with the report. The place was called X-Ray Specialist or Specialist X-Ray Clinic. I believe they do MRI and ultrasound also . Google it and see if it helps

amrita123 wrote: ↑

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 1:10 pm

I had an X-Ray done 3 weeks ago followed by medications. But still getting pain while walking and climbing stairs . The Doctor is suspecting a tear of the menscus . So he has asked for MRI

You can plug this into ChatGPT or Google Gemini and find that a meniscus tear would normally start with conservative treatment anyway, so even though an MRI would confirm it, it doesn’t sound like it would be absolutely necessary, at least not early on. I would have a chat with AI so you are better informed.

malcontent wrote: ↑

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 4:22 am

amrita123 wrote: ↑

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 1:10 pm

I had an X-Ray done 3 weeks ago followed by medications. But still getting pain while walking and climbing stairs . The Doctor is suspecting a tear of the menscus . So he has asked for MRI

You can plug this into ChatGPT or Google Gemini and find that a meniscus tear would normally start with conservative treatment anyway, so even though an MRI would confirm it, it doesn’t sound like it would be absolutely necessary, at least not early on. I would have a chat with AI so you are better informed.

Thanks dor the info. I will wait a bit before I rush in for a MRI

Sorry to hear about your fall — wishing you a speedy recovery. You might want to check out public hospitals like Tan Tock Seng or NUH (National University Hospital), as they often offer more affordable MRI scans, especially if you're a Singapore resident or PR. Some private imaging centres like Lifescan or Parkway Health also occasionally have promotions, so it's worth calling to ask for quotes.

While CT scans can be cheaper, MRI is usually more accurate for soft tissue like knees — so if possible, try to stick with the MRI. Hope you find a good option soon!

PR and SC can claim $300 for an MRI annually. You need to advise this up front.

Also a single CT is a massive dose of radiation - something like 90 times a normal XRAY. I'd be cautious about having too many too quickly.

PNGMK wrote: ↑

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:50 am

Also a single CT is a massive dose of radiation - something like 90 times a normal XRAY. I'd be cautious about having too many too quickly.

An interesting article on radiation dosages from medical imaging. Unfortunately, I have had at least a dozen CAT scans over the last 3 years. I ought to glow in the dark.

https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/safety-xray

I did 2 MRIs at the same time, each costing about $500. Did it at National University Hospital but I have a referral from polyclinic.