HealthInfo Aoraki South Canterbury
Overview of scans & X-rays
Tirohanga whānui ki ngā mātai me ngā whakaata roto
Scans and X-rays are imaging tests that use a type of radiation or magnetic field to take pictures of the inside of your body. Your health professional may request a scan or X-ray to help find the cause of your problem or to check your response to treatment. Most of these tests are done in a radiology department.
Costs and places
If the appointment comes from Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, you will not have to pay for your scan or X-ray.
Discuss private referral options with your doctor if you have medical insurance or are able to pay. If your scan or X-ray relates to an accidental injury, ACC will usually pay, but you may need to pay a surcharge for some procedures. If you have medical insurance, your share of the cost may be covered by your policy.
If your appointment is arranged by Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, your appointment letter will tell you where to go for the appointment.
For privately funded scans or X-rays, the private provider may offer you a range of locations to go for your test.
Getting an appointment
Your health professional will request your test and you should receive a letter or phone call telling you the time and place of your appointment. Your appointment letter may ask you to call to confirm your appointment by calling the number on the letter. Please do this, as you risk losing your appointment if you do not confirm by the date indicated in your letter.
If you do not receive an appointment, and your test was ordered by your general practice team, contact your general practice team. If your test was ordered by a hospital doctor, call Timaru Hospital on (03) 687‑2240. You can also contact them with any questions you have about your scan or X-ray.
If you cannot make it to your appointment, refer to your appointment letter and call the number provided. If you lose your appointment, contact your general practice team.
The Radiology Department at Timaru Hospital is on Level 3 of the clinical services block. See the Timaru Hospital site plan.
Two-hour parking is available in the car park near the main hospital entrance, which has six disabled spaces and along Queen St. There are also two car park areas off Edward St. Parking on High St has no time limit. Car parks are unsupervised and vehicles are left at their owners' risk. Allow plenty of time to find a car park.
Preparing for my scan or X-ray
The instructions for any special preparation for your scan or X-ray will be included with your appointment letter. If you have any questions about this, please call the number on your appointment letter.
If you have special needs such as mobility issues, hearing loss or need an interpreter, please call the number on the appointment letter and let staff know in advance.
It's important to let staff know when you arrive for your scan or X-ray if you're:
- pregnant or might be pregnant
- breastfeeding
- have had an allergic reaction to X-ray contrast in the past.
Getting the results
A specialist doctor (radiologist) will view the films or images and write a report about what the scan or X-ray shows. They will send their report to the health professional who asked for the test, who will then discuss the test results with you during a follow-up appointment, over the phone or by email or text message.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists – Radiation risk of medical imaging for adults and children
This page contains information about radiation and the risk of having scans and X-rays.
Written by Radiology Department, Canterbury DHB. Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed December 2022.
SourcesReview key: HISXN-86976
