ENHow much an ultrasound scan costs in Germany comes down to two main lines on the bill: the scan itself and the doctor’s consultation on the results. Ultrasound (Sonographie or Ultraschall in German) is safe and uses no radiation. In Germany it is usually performed by the doctor, not a technician, so the findings are often discussed at the same appointment.
Indicative figures, as given on the page about the cost of treatment in Germany: ultrasound — around €130–150; consultation with a doctor on the results — from €130. The exact amount depends on the area examined and the clinic.
Ultrasound in Germany: Price of a Scan and Consultation
An ultrasound scan costs an indicative €130–150 and a consultation on the results from €130, and an outpatient is billed under the GOÄ, the official scale of doctors’ fees. The scale has one item for the first organ examined (item 410) and an additional item for each further organ (item 420, no more than three times per session). Blood-flow testing (Doppler) has its own items, such as a supplement for duplex scanning. Every item is listed in the official GOÄ text.
| Cost item | Depends on | Guide figure |
|---|---|---|
| Ultrasound | number of organs, Doppler, contrast | €130–150 |
| Consultation on the results | length of the conversation and examination, GOÄ multiplier | from €130 |
Two patients booked for “an ultrasound” can get different bills: one needs a single area examined, the other several, with or without Doppler. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound adds the cost of the contrast agent. A complex case also takes more of the doctor’s time, which the fee scale reflects through a higher multiplier.
An ultrasound done as part of inpatient treatment is included in the hospital’s overall bill and is not charged separately: the hospital bills the stay as a whole.
Types of Ultrasound and What Each Shows
Ultrasound scans differ by body area and by technique: to the standard image of an organ, the doctor can add blood-flow testing, contrast or a measurement of tissue stiffness. The main types are:
- abdomen: liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys and spleen;
- thyroid and neck lymph nodes;
- breasts;
- pelvic organs, in women also transvaginal;
- prostate, also transrectal;
- vessels: duplex scan of the carotid arteries and leg veins, showing both the vessel and its blood flow;
- heart: echocardiography;
- contrast-enhanced ultrasound to clarify liver lesions: it helps show whether a lesion is malignant;
- elastography: tissue stiffness, for example of the liver — the more scarring, the stiffer the tissue.
Ultrasound does not replace CT or MRI when detailed cross-sections are needed; the second of these is covered on the page about MRI in Germany. The doctor chooses the method based on the question to be answered.
Who Performs the Scan and How to Judge Their Level
In Germany the scan is usually performed by a doctor, and a certificate from the German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) helps you judge their level. The society certifies doctors at levels I–III; level III is the highest.
For example, Prof. Thomas Albrecht heads the Institute of Radiology at Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln (Berlin); his work covers ultrasound, CT, MRI and contrast sonography. Prof. Guntram Lock is a gastroenterologist at Albertinen Krankenhaus (Hamburg) who performs ultrasound of the digestive organs and liver and holds DEGUM certification as a level III course leader. Prof. Harald Kühl at München Klinik Harlaching specialises in cardiac imaging, including ultrasound.
Ultrasound as Part of a Wider Assessment
A wider assessment makes sense when ultrasound is one of several tests you need: the clinic may combine them into a one- or two-day assessment programme priced as a whole. How such programmes work is explained on the page about a check-up in Germany, and their cost on the page with medical examination prices in Germany.
Recent reports and images from home are reviewed in advance and not repeated without reason. After the scan, the patient receives a report in German or English, and it is translated.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an abdominal ultrasound cost in Germany?
The exact amount is set in the clinic’s estimate; the general guide figure for ultrasound is €130–150. The abdomen covers several organs: liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys and spleen. Under the GOÄ, the first organ is billed as one item and each further organ as an additional one, but no more than three additional items per session. Doppler, if needed, adds its own items.
How much does a thyroid ultrasound cost in Germany?
The exact amount is set in the clinic’s estimate; the general guide figure for ultrasound is €130–150. The GOÄ has a separate item for the thyroid (item 417). If the doctor also examines the neck lymph nodes at the same appointment, they are billed as a further organ (item 420). A consultation on the results is charged separately, from €130.
Is the consultation included in the ultrasound price?
Usually not: under the GOÄ, a conversation with the doctor and the scan are separate items. That is why the prices page lists them separately: ultrasound around €130–150, a consultation on the results from €130. Sometimes a talk straight after the scan is enough; if the results are discussed together with other tests and images, a separate consultation is needed.
Can I find out the price before travelling?
Yes, the clinic draws up an estimate before the visit. A patient without German health insurance pays as a private patient, so the estimate is based on the GOÄ. For it, tell us which area needs examining and why, and send earlier reports: from them the doctor decides whether one organ is enough or Doppler or contrast is needed.
How AlenMed Arranges an Ultrasound Scan in Germany
AlenMed finds a doctor for the patient’s question and books the appointment. The patient tells us which area needs examining and why and sends earlier reports, and we choose a doctor of the right specialty: a radiologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, gynaecologist or urologist. The page on arranging treatment in Germany describes the process as a whole.
You receive an estimate before the visit, pay the clinic directly and pay for AlenMed’s services separately. An interpreter attends the appointment, and we translate the report. The company office is in Munich; the clinics are across Germany.
This material is for reference only and is not an offer. All amounts are indicative; the scope of the examination is decided by the doctor in person.