Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Breast MRI availability and cost in Hyderabad | CION Cancer Clinics
Breast MRI screening does not require travel outside Hyderabad. This page covers indicative costs for the scan and any follow-up, what actually changes the price, and how to check whether Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or your insurer covers it at a specific centre. It is written for women already on a high-risk surveillance programme, and for the family members helping them plan. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team helps carriers and their families plan checks, next steps and support after a genetic result.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
4.8★ / 800+Google rating
On this page
- Is breast MRI screening actually available in Hyderabad?
- What breast MRI screening usually costs in Hyderabad
- What changes the cost of your scan
- Words your billing desk will use
- Paying out of pocket against using a scheme
- What this page cannot tell you
- Four things patients tell us, and what is actually true
- Common questions about breast MRI cost in Hyderabad
The short answer
Is breast MRI screening actually available in Hyderabad?
Yes. Breast MRI is available at major hospitals and dedicated imaging centres across Hyderabad, and it does not require travel to another city for a high-risk surveillance programme based here. What varies more than availability is which centre has radiologists experienced specifically in reading high-risk breast MRI.
Why the right centre matters more than the nearest one
Any centre with the right scanner can technically perform the scan. Reading it well, comparing it against your previous scans, and knowing when a finding needs a same-week ultrasound rather than a routine follow-up, is a different skill that not every general imaging centre practises regularly.
Booking ahead matters
Breast MRI appointments, especially ones timed against your menstrual cycle, are usually booked some weeks in advance rather than arranged on short notice. Building this into your yearly calendar avoids a scan slipping later than your programme intends.
What travelling from a district changes
If you live outside Hyderabad, the scan itself is the same wherever it is done, but continuity of reading matters more than proximity. Some families choose to travel into the city once a year for this particular scan while managing other appointments closer to home, simply so every scan is read and compared by the same team.
Ask specifically whether the centre reads high-risk breast MRI regularly, not just whether it owns the scanner.Indicative cost
What breast MRI screening usually costs in Hyderabad
These are ranges, not quotes. The final figure depends on the centre, whether contrast is included, and your insurance or scheme.
₹8,000 – ₹14,000
Screening breast MRI, one side or both
Standard high-risk screening protocol with contrast, at a centre experienced in reading it.
₹12,000 – ₹18,000
Diagnostic breast MRI
Used to follow up a specific finding, usually with additional sequences beyond the standard screening protocol.
₹3,000 – ₹6,000
Second-look ultrasound, if needed
A targeted scan of a spot flagged on MRI, done separately and billed on its own.
Indicative only. Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS and EHS are accepted, and most cashless insurers are empanelled — in those cases your out-of-pocket cost is usually very different from the figures above. Call the helpline for an estimate against your own cover.
What actually moves the price
What changes the cost of your scan
- Whether the scan includes contrast, which most screening protocols require
- Whether it is billed as screening or as a diagnostic follow-up
- Whether a radiologist report with comparison to prior scans is included
- Whether a second-look ultrasound is bundled or billed separately
- Whether your scheme or insurer is empanelled at that specific centre
- Whether the scan is timed to your cycle, which can limit the slots on offer
- Whether earlier scans from another centre need to be loaded for comparison
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
On your bill
Words your billing desk will use
- Empanelled centre
- A hospital or imaging centre formally listed with a scheme or insurer to provide cashless treatment. Cover only applies at a centre that is actually empanelled for that specific scan.
- Cashless claim
- The scheme or insurer settles directly with the empanelled centre, so you pay little or nothing at the counter.
- Reimbursement claim
- You pay the centre yourself and claim the amount back from your scheme or insurer afterwards, usually with original bills and reports.
- Package rate
- A single quoted price meant to include the scan, contrast and report together, rather than billing each part separately.
- Pre-authorisation
- Approval sought from your scheme or insurer before the scan is done, sometimes required for cashless cover to apply at all.
Side by side
Paying out of pocket against using a scheme
Out of pocket
Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or insurance
You pay the centre's listed rate directly
Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your specific cover
Any centre with the scanner can be used
Only empanelled centres apply for cashless cover
Faster to arrange without pre-approval
May need pre-authorisation before the appointment
Simpler if you are already paying for a diagnostic follow-up
Worth checking even for routine annual screening
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot give you an exact bill. Real cost depends on the specific centre, whether your scan is billed as screening or diagnostic, and your own insurance or scheme cover, all of which need to be checked directly with the billing desk before your appointment.
It cannot confirm empanelment for you
Scheme and insurer empanelment can change and can vary between branches of the same hospital group. Call ahead and ask specifically about breast MRI at the exact centre you plan to visit, rather than assuming general empanelment covers this particular scan.
It cannot promise a package price will hold
A quoted package rate can still change if the scan uncovers something needing extra sequences, or if a second-look ultrasound is then required on the same visit. Ask the billing desk what happens to the price if the scan runs longer than planned, before you are on the table.
Who this does not apply to
If you are not on a high-risk surveillance programme, breast MRI is not a routine screening test for you, and a standard mammogram schedule applies instead. Adding MRI outside a genuine high-risk indication is unlikely to be covered as screening by most schemes.
If cost is the reason you are hesitating, call the helpline before skipping the scan. There is often a way to reduce the out-of-pocket figure.Commonly believed
Four things patients tell us, and what is actually true
"Breast MRI is only available in a few big cities."
It is available across Hyderabad at multiple centres. What differs is experience reading high-risk breast MRI specifically, which is worth checking for before booking. Families from the districts rarely need to travel further than the city.
"It is not covered by any government scheme."
Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS and EHS cover varies by centre and by how the scan is classified. It is always worth checking rather than assuming it is not covered. Carry your referral letter and your genetic report, because both help the claim.
"The cheapest centre is the safest choice financially."
A lower headline price sometimes excludes contrast, the radiologist report, or comparison to prior scans, all of which may then be billed separately and add up to more than a higher quoted price elsewhere. Ask for the full package price in writing before you compare two centres.
"There must be an instalment plan for this somewhere."
CION does not offer instalment or deferred-payment arrangements for diagnostic scans. If cost is a genuine barrier, ask about scheme cover and empanelled centres instead, which usually makes a larger difference. Skipping a scan to save money is the one choice that costs more later.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about breast MRI cost in Hyderabad
Is breast MRI screening covered by Aarogyasri?
Cover depends on the specific centre and how the scan is classified. Check directly with the billing desk of the centre you plan to use, since empanelment can differ even between branches of the same hospital group.
Does the price include the radiologist's report?
Usually, but always confirm before booking. Some centres price the scan and the report separately, particularly when comparison against prior scans is requested.
Why do prices vary so much between centres?
Differences come from whether contrast is included, whether the report includes comparison to earlier scans, and how experienced the centre is at reading high-risk breast MRI specifically, not from the scan itself being different.
Is a second-look ultrasound extra?
Usually, yes. It is only needed if the MRI flags something for a closer look, so it is billed separately at most centres rather than bundled into the original scan.
Can I use health insurance for a screening scan, not just diagnosis?
Some insurers do cover preventive or screening scans for confirmed high-risk carriers, but this varies by policy. Check your policy wording or call your insurer directly before assuming either way.
Do I need a referral letter to book breast MRI?
Most centres prefer a referral from your oncologist or genetic counsellor, particularly for scheme and insurance claims. It also helps the radiologist know what to look for based on your specific risk.
Are there cheaper options if I cannot pay the full amount?
Government scheme cover, where it applies, is usually the most significant reduction available. CION does not offer instalment or deferred payments, so scheme and insurance cover are the routes worth exploring first. Ask which centres are empanelled for your scheme.
How do I get an exact quote for my own situation?
Call the CION helpline with your scheme or insurance details and we will give you an estimate against your own cover before you book.
What moves the figure
What affects the cost
Four things change the total more than anything else.
The technique used
A shaped or image-guided delivery costs more than a conventional one, and is chosen on clinical grounds rather than preference.
How many sessions
The total is driven by the number of sittings or cycles, not by a single per-visit figure.
Supporting tests
Scans, blood work and pathology done alongside treatment are billed separately.
Your cover
Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or cashless insurance usually change the out-of-pocket figure substantially.
Paying for it
Insurance, schemes and payment
What you actually pay usually differs a great deal from the sticker figure.
AarogyasriEmpanelled. Bring the card and a referral where you have one.
CGHS / ECHS / EHSAccepted at CION centres for eligible treatment.
Cashless insuranceMost major insurers are empanelled. Pre-authorisation is handled by our desk.
Self-payItemised estimate given before treatment starts. No EMI scheme exists.
Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
Your Specialists
Meet CION's oncologists. Bring your family history or genetic report to them.
Our medical oncologists see people with a strong family history of cancer, arrange genetic counselling and testing where it fits, and plan the checks that follow.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. One helpline books a consultation at any of these centres, and your team will tell you where counselling and testing take place.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- American Cancer Society — MRI for Breast Cancer Screening
- National Cancer Institute — Breast Cancer Screening (PDQ) – Patient Version
- IRDAI — Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
- NCCN — NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Genetic Testing for Hereditary Cancer
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Breast MRI screening: what it involvesWhat actually happens once you have bookedBreast MRI vs mammogram for high-risk womenWhy both tests are usually needed, not oneCost of lifelong surveillance in IndiaHow this scan fits into the wider cost of a surveillance programmeIs surveillance covered by insurance or schemes?A closer look at scheme and insurer cover generally
Talk to us
Want an estimate against your own cover?
Tell us your scheme or insurance details and we will give you an indicative cost before you book. One helpline serves every CION centre.