X-Ray Cost in Brazil
What you actually pay under SUS, plano de saúde, and self-pay. Last reviewed April 2026.
Quick Overview
Brazil runs the largest universal public healthcare system in the world — SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde) — funded through federal, state, and municipal taxation. SUS is free to everyone on Brazilian soil. Alongside SUS, about a quarter of Brazilians hold private plano de saúde, regulated by ANS, which covers imaging at contracted networks. Self-pay at private laboratories (Fleury, DASA, a+ Medicina Diagnóstica, Sabin Diagnósticos) runs roughly R$ 35 for a simple chest study up to R$ 400 for a complex multi-view study.
🏥 SUS (Public)
- All residents — regardless of citizenship
- Ordered by SUS professional at UBS or hospital
- Wait times vary sharply by municipality
- Emergency imaging always same-day
🏥 Plano de Saúde
- *Ambulatorial or higher tier required
- ANS-mandated imaging coverage
- Fleury, DASA, a+, Sabin widely contracted
- Typically same-day access
🏥 Private Particular
- Self-pay at private laboratório or hospital
- R$ 35–80: simple chest or limb X-ray
- R$ 100–400: spine, multi-view, complex studies
- Discount cards (Cartão de TODOS) cut prices further
Private / Self-Pay Prices
Brazilian private laboratories publish tabela de preços pages with current raio-x particular pricing. Significant price dispersion exists across clinics in the same city. The table shows indicative self-pay ranges as of April 2026.
| X-Ray Service | Private Self-Pay (BRL) | SUS Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Chest — simple | R$ 35–80 | Free with SUS request |
| Chest — F+P+obliques (Fleury std) | R$ 120–200 | Free with SUS request |
| Limb (hand / foot / wrist / ankle) | R$ 35–100 | Free with SUS request |
| Spine — single segment | R$ 80–180 | Free with SUS request |
| Spine — full | R$ 200–400 | Free with SUS request |
| Abdomen | R$ 60–150 | Free with SUS request |
| Pelvis / hip | R$ 80–150 | Free with SUS request |
| Dental panoramic (OPG) | R$ 80–200 | Limited at SUS UBS |
Indicative self-pay ranges based on published Brazilian laboratório pricing and historical survey data. At approximately R$ 5 = $1, these equate to roughly $7–$80 USD. Always confirm current pricing with the clinic.
How Brazilian Coverage Works
SUS (Public)
- Universal, free at point of care
- Funded by federal + state + municipal taxation
- Entry via UBS (Unidade Básica de Saúde)
- Referral to specialist / hospital via SUS professional
- Quality and speed vary sharply by region
Plano de Saúde (Private)
- Regulated by ANS (Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar)
- Mandatory benefit package includes imaging
- Tiers: ambulatorial, hospitalar, referência, etc.
- Operators: Unimed, Bradesco Saúde, SulAmérica, Hapvida NotreDame, Amil
- Funded by member premiums (often employer-subsidised)
How to get an X-ray
- SUS: register at UBS, get doctor's request
- Plano de saúde: doctor's pedido médico, book at contracted laboratório
- Self-pay: walk into any laboratório with or without referral
- Bring CPF and Cartão SUS or plano de saúde card
Where to Get an X-Ray
🏥 Public Hospitals / SUS
- Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP — São Paulo
- Hospital Federal da Lagoa — Rio de Janeiro
- Hospital de Clínicas da UFPR — Curitiba
- Hospital das Clínicas UFMG — Belo Horizonte
- UBS network across 5,500+ municipalities
🏥 Major Private Diagnostic Networks
- DASA — largest private diagnostic group (Delboni, Salomão Zoppi, Lavoisier)
- Grupo Fleury — Fleury, a+, Labs a+
- Sabin Diagnósticos — nationwide
- Hermes Pardini — Minas Gerais and beyond
- Hospital Albert Einstein / Sírio-Libanês — premium hospitals (São Paulo)
💡 Practical tips
- Discount cards (Cartão de TODOS, Bradesco Saúde Particular) cut private prices 30–50%
- Plano de saúde is highly recommended if you can afford one
- Private prices vary sharply between Brazilian cities
- Digital imaging via patient portal (most major labs)
Guide by Patient Type
🇧🇷 Brazilian residents
- SUS free, but wait times vary — consider complementing with plano de saúde
- Plano de saúde member: use contracted laboratório for near-zero out-of-pocket
- Self-pay: compare 2–3 laboratórios — price dispersion is real
- Discount cards useful for one-off imaging
👨⚕️ Uninsured (no plano)
- SUS is always the free option — use it for non-urgent care
- Private self-pay: R$ 35–400 depending on study
- Discount cards (Cartão de TODOS) improve value
- A chest X-ray at a mid-market laboratório runs R$ 60–120
✈️ International visitors
- Emergency care at SUS hospitals is free to all
- Non-emergency: self-pay at private laboratório
- Travel health insurance strongly recommended
- Brazilian private prices are low by US standards
Practical Details
📋 What to bring
- CPF (Brazilian tax ID)
- Passport (visitors) or RG (residents)
- Cartão SUS or plano de saúde card
- Doctor's pedido médico
- Prior imaging on CD/USB
⏰ Typical wait times
- Emergency: immediate
- SUS non-urgent: weeks to months (highly variable)
- Plano de saúde: same day to a few days
- Private self-pay: same day
💡 How to save money
- Use SUS for non-urgent imaging if time allows
- Plano de saúde covers most imaging at contracted sites
- Discount cards for particular pricing
- Compare 2–3 laboratórios before booking self-pay
FAQ
Is an X-ray free on SUS?
Yes. Brazil's SUS provides free public healthcare including X-rays to all residents — and effectively to anyone on Brazilian soil. The main trade-off is wait times for non-urgent imaging, which vary widely by municipality.
What do private X-rays cost in Brazil?
R$ 35–80 for a simple chest or limb view at a mid-market laboratório; R$ 100–400 for spine, multi-view, or complex studies. Premium hospital laboratories (Einstein, Sírio-Libanês) sit at the top of the range.
Does my plano de saúde cover imaging?
Yes, ANS regulations require all plans to cover diagnostic imaging as part of the mandatory benefit package. Specifics depend on your plan tier. Check your list of contracted laboratórios — Fleury, DASA, a+, and Sabin are widely included.
What's the difference between SUS and plano de saúde?
SUS = free, tax-funded, universal; can have long waits. Plano de saúde = paid, private, faster access, broader provider choice. About 25% of Brazilians hold plano de saúde alongside SUS entitlement.
Are discount cards worth it?
For self-pay particular customers, yes — cards like Cartão de TODOS can cut private laboratório prices 30–50%. Only useful if you don't have plano de saúde.
Can tourists use SUS?
Yes — SUS treats all comers. Emergency care is always free. Non-emergency care may face long waits. Most visitors with travel insurance prefer private laboratórios (R$ 35–400).
Compare X-Ray Costs Across Countries
Sources
- Ministério da Saúde / SUS — coverage overview
- ANS (Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar) — plano de saúde benefit package
- a+ Medicina Diagnóstica — raio-x particular price references
- Fleury — exames raio-x published pages
- Saúde ID and Medprev — São Paulo / Rio / Brasília private pricing guides
Last reviewed: April 2026. Private prices vary widely — always confirm with the specific laboratório.