Recently, my friend and I took two different scans at Aarthi Scans Chennai, and I wanted to share our full experience — cost, staff behaviour, waiting time, everything.
My doctor suggested I take a CECT abdomen scan, so I visited a few scan centers around Chennai to compare prices. Aarthi Scans turned out to be ₹1,200 cheaper than the others, so I decided to go ahead with them.
I visited the Aarthi Scans center in Ambattur, located on Ambattur OT–MTH Road, near Stedford Hospital. Finding the place was easy since it’s right on the Ambattur OT to Thirumullaivoyal main road. Parking is a bit limited though — only about 30 to 35 bikes can fit, and cars have to park on the roadside. If you walk about 200 meters ahead, there’s a side street on the left where you can park a car more comfortably.
The center itself is well maintained. Cleaning staff mop the floor frequently, the waiting area can hold around 25 to 30 people, and the AC works well throughout, including inside the scanning room. Restrooms were clean, and RO water was available too.
Booking and Registration in aarthi scans chennai
Before deciding, I called up several scan centers in Chennai and asked about their procedures and pricing. There’s no online booking at Aarthi Scans — it’s a direct walk-in, first-come-first-served system.
I carried all my medical documents, including the doctor’s prescription. At the reception, I filled a short form with my name, mobile number, age, and email ID, which they entered into a machine that looked like an ATM kiosk. At the next counter, they confirmed my scan type and checked if any preparation was needed, like fasting. Since I was already fasting, they registered the scan and sent me to the billing counter. I paid via UPI — the CECT abdomen scan cost me around ₹5,800. After payment, I went back to the previous counter to collect the receipt and get it stamped.
The Scanning Process
When I reached the waiting area, two patients were already ahead of me, including one person waiting for the same CECT scan. This scan takes around 3 hours in total. You’re not allowed to eat anything for 3 hours before it — only water. They also asked for blood reports done within the last week.
The process starts with a scan on an empty stomach. Then they give a contrast mix dissolved in water — you drink one litre within an hour, then another litre the same way, before the next scan. After that, they inject a contrast dye near the wrist and take the final scan. Since two people were ahead of me, my scan got delayed by about an hour, but the staff were patient and polite throughout the wait.
One thing I really liked — there’s a display monitor in the waiting hall showing token numbers for each scan category, so you always know who’s currently being scanned and how many people are ahead of you.
Before the scan, a technician came and asked about my symptoms and medical history, and explained the full procedure. I was given a separate dressing room with a locker to store my belongings. The first scan was quick, the second took about 10-15 minutes, and after the injection, they took the final scan. I was a bit nervous initially, but the technician kept reassuring me and helped me stay calm. The whole process took close to 3 hours.
The next day, I went back with my bill copy and got my report and film within about 15 minutes. There’s also a QR code on the bill that takes you to an online report portal — you log in using the same mobile number you registered with, verify with OTP, and download your report anytime.
My Friend’s MRI Fistulogram Experience
After my scan, I recommended this same center to my friend, who needed an MRI Fistulogram, priced at around ₹4,340. Since it was evening, there was hardly any crowd, and within 10 minutes a technician came to check his history and explain the procedure before taking him to the dressing room.
Since it’s an MRI (magnetic scan), he had to remove all metal objects and his phone, though gold jewelry was allowed. He was given a dhoti to change into. The scan itself took about 15-20 minutes. He mentioned the MRI machine is quite loud, and he felt a bit nervous for the first 10 minutes, but the technician gave him cotton for his ears and asked him to keep his eyes closed, which helped him settle down.
Pros
- Smooth, professional process overall
- Live token/waiting display — a good initiative most scan centers don’t offer
- Center is clean and well maintained
- Customer care answers promptly — I called around 10:30 PM once and still got a helpful response
- Reports available online too, useful for emailing to doctors or offices
- Technicians are friendly and knowledgeable
- Separate dressing room and locker facility
- Discounted rates for scans after 7 PM — my friend got a ₹500 discount on his MRI
Cons
- Limited parking near the Ambattur branch
- Gets crowded in the morning since many people come for fasting-based blood tests and scans
- No online appointment system, only direct token-based entry
Conclusion
Aarthi Scans operates across 12 states with about 200 branches in India, including 37 branches in Chennai alone. You can check their website for test and scan rates, and they also offer home sample collection. Overall, my experience with Aarthi Scans Chennai was satisfying, and I’d recommend it based on cleanliness, staff behaviour, and pricing.
One tip — before paying, always confirm with the staff whether your specific test qualifies for the 7 PM to 12 AM evening discount, since not all scans are eligible.
