4 min readUpdated Crown Valley Imaging
The short answer
For a diagnostic study — one performed to investigate a symptom, injury, or known condition — yes. MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray, and bone density scans all require a written order from a licensed physician or other authorized provider.
For a small number of screening studies performed on people without symptoms, no order is needed. At Crown Valley Imaging that means CT cardiac calcium scoring, whole-body CT screening, and DEXA body composition, all of which you can book and pay for directly.
Why the rule exists
An order is not a formality. It tells the technologist which body part to image and from which angles, whether contrast is required, and what clinical question the radiologist is being asked to answer. A knee MRI ordered for a suspected meniscal tear is run differently from one ordered to assess a ligament, and the radiologist reads it differently too.
Without that context, a scan can be technically perfect and still fail to answer the question that prompted it — which means repeating it, at additional cost and, for CT and X-ray, additional radiation exposure.
There is a second reason specific to CT and X-ray: these use ionizing radiation, and the decision that the diagnostic benefit justifies the dose is a clinical judgment. That belongs with a physician who knows your history.
What a usable order contains
A complete order names the body part and side, the modality, whether contrast is needed, and a clinical indication or diagnosis code. Missing pieces are the most common reason an appointment has to be rescheduled — if the order says "MRI knee" without specifying which knee, we have to go back to the ordering office before we can scan.
If you are not sure whether your order is complete, send it to us before your appointment and we will check it. That is faster than discovering the problem when you arrive.
The screening exceptions
Screening studies are different because they are performed on people without symptoms, to establish risk rather than to investigate a complaint. Three of ours can be booked without an order: CT cardiac calcium scoring, which quantifies calcified plaque in the coronary arteries and returns a calcium score; whole-body CT screening; and DEXA body composition, which measures fat and lean mass.
A board-certified radiologist reads every one of them, and you receive the report. If a screening study turns up something that warrants follow-up, that follow-up becomes diagnostic — and will need an order like anything else.
A diagnostic bone density DEXA, the kind used to assess osteoporosis risk and return a T-score, does require an order. It is easy to confuse with the body composition study because both run on the same scanner.
If you don't have an ordering physician
If you think you need a diagnostic scan and have no physician to order it, the route is to see one — urgent care, a primary care office, or a specialist can evaluate you and order imaging if it is warranted. We cannot order a diagnostic study for you; we perform and interpret what your physician orders.
If what you want is screening rather than diagnosis, the three studies above are available to book directly.
Common questions
- Can a nurse practitioner or physician assistant order imaging?
- Yes. Orders from nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other authorized providers are accepted, within their scope of practice.
- Does a self-pay scan still need an order?
- Yes, if it is diagnostic. Paying out of pocket changes who pays, not whether the study is clinically indicated or how it should be performed.
- How long is an imaging order valid?
- It varies by the ordering physician and the clinical situation; many are treated as valid for several months. If yours is old or you are unsure, check with the office that wrote it before booking.
- Can I get a copy of my images and report?
- Yes. Your report goes to the physician who ordered the study, and you can obtain your own images and report at no extra charge — through the patient portal or by asking us directly.