Your scan, your files
How to Get a Copy of Your MRI Images
You have a right to the images from your scan, not just the written report. Here is how to ask for them in the US and the UK, what to ask for so you get the whole scan, and how to open the files when they arrive.
What to ask for
- The full study in DICOM format. These are the original scan files. A few JPEG pictures, or the report on its own, will not show the whole scan.
- Every series. An MRI is made of several sets of images taken in different directions and settings. Ask for all of them.
- The written report too. The radiologist's report is the official reading of your scan. Keep it with the images.
- A disc, USB drive or download link. If your computer has no CD drive, ask for a link or USB drive.
Still at the imaging center? Ask at reception before you leave. Many centers can give you a disc on the day.
In the US
Under HIPAA you have a right to copies of your health information, including scan images. Your provider has up to 30 days to respond, and can extend that once by up to 30 more days if it tells you in writing. It can charge a reasonable, cost-based fee, and should give you the copy in the electronic form you ask for if it can readily produce it.
- 1
Contact the place that did the scan
Call or visit the imaging center or the hospital's radiology or medical records department. Your own doctor's office usually has only the report.
- 2
Ask for the images in electronic form
Request the full study in DICOM format on a disc, USB drive or download link, plus the written report.
- 3
Complete their release form
Most providers ask you to sign a records request form and show ID. Ask about any fee up front.
Patient portals such as MyChart usually show the written report. Some hospitals also let you view or download the images there, but many don't. Some imaging centers share images through services such as PocketHealth.
In the UK
Under UK GDPR you can ask for a copy of your health records, including scan images. This is called a subject access request. It is free in most cases, and the organisation has one month to respond. It can extend that by up to two more months for a complex request, but must tell you within the first month.
- 1
Find the hospital trust or clinic that did the scan
Search for the trust's name with "access to health records". Some trusts handle scan images through their radiology department, separately from other records. For a private scan, ask the clinic directly.
- 2
Make your request
Use the trust's form or online portal. Ask for your radiology images in DICOM format and the written report, and give the date and type of scan.
- 3
Prove your identity
Trusts usually ask for ID such as a passport or driving licence. The one-month deadline starts once they have it.
- 4
Save the files when they arrive
Images come on a disc or through a secure download link. Links can expire, sometimes after two weeks, so download them straight away.
Your GP practice may have the written report, but not the images, and the NHS App doesn't usually include scan images, so ask the hospital. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, ask your health board; the same right applies.
Opening your files
Why they won't just open
Scan files are DICOM files, often with no file extension, so photo apps can't read them. The viewer included on a disc is often Windows-only or out of date.
What to do
Copy the whole disc or download to a folder on your computer. Then open that folder, or the ZIP file, in a DICOM viewer.
Free, no account, and nothing is uploaded: the files stay in your browser. If you'd like help understanding what you're looking at, LabLumen can also explain your MRI in plain language. That explanation is informational, not a diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a right to my MRI images, not just the report?
Yes. In the US, the HIPAA right of access covers your health information, including scan images held by your provider. In the UK, a subject access request under UK GDPR covers your health records, including radiology images. Ask for both the images and the written report.
How long does it take?
In the US, a provider has up to 30 days to respond and can extend that once by up to 30 more days if it tells you in writing. In the UK, the deadline is one month, extendable by up to two more months for complex requests. Many providers are much faster, and some imaging centers can give you a disc on the day.
Does it cost anything?
In the US, a provider may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee and should tell you the approximate amount in advance. In the UK, a subject access request is free in most cases.
What format should I ask for?
Ask for the full study in DICOM format, which is the original scan files, with every series included. A few JPEG pictures or the written report alone will not show the whole scan. A disc, USB drive or secure download link all work.
My computer has no CD drive. What can I do?
Ask for a download link or USB drive instead of a disc. If you already have a disc, an inexpensive external USB DVD drive will read it. Copy the whole disc to a folder before you open it.
Can my family doctor or GP give me the images?
Usually not. Your doctor or GP practice normally receives the written report, while the images stay with the hospital or imaging center that did the scan. Ask them directly.
How do I open the files once I have them?
Scan files are DICOM files, often with no file extension, and ordinary photo apps cannot open them. Open the folder or ZIP in LabLumen's free DICOM viewer, which runs in your browser without uploading anything.