Not all PRP is the same.

It is important to know that not all platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations or providers are created equal. This post provides an overview of PRP including what it is, what conditions it can treat, importance of diagnostic imaging quality, platelet-dose, and out-of-pocket costs. We also provide essential questions to ask other PRP provider to ensure that you are getting a high-quality PRP treatment.

What is Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP)?

Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that uses concentrated plasma isolated from the patient’s own blood. The concentrated plasma contains a high level of platelets, and other growth factors, that are known to reduce inflammation, provide pain relief and promote healing of injured tissues.

Unlike corticosteroids which simply mask symptoms of an injury, PRP acts to promote regeneration of tissues. However, this means PRP is not a “quick fix”, but rather is designed to be a long-term healing solution.

What can PRP treat?

Platelet-rich plasma has been used for over three decades in orthopaedics and sports medicine to treat osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries, including those with peripheral nerve injury. Platelet-rich plasma has also shown to be beneficial in post-surgical wound healing, as well as, applications in dentistry, gynaecology and urology. More recently, PRP is being explored in conditions of the central nervous system such as neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Diseases (MND) and spinal cord injuries.

It is now known that PRP is likely superior to corticosteroid in many musculoskeletal indications; however, outcomes are dependent on many factors including platelet-quality, delivered platelet dose, patient preparation and post-care -dependent.

Mermaid Beach Radiology uses PRP to treat many conditions, including the following:

Back pain, including pain associated with facets, ruptured discs (annular fissure, discogenic pain)
SI joint pain
Knee Osteoarthritis
Shoulder Osteoarthritis
Neck pain
Tennis Elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Plantar fasciitis
Tendinopathies
Shoulder Rotator cuff injury
And more

If you would like to review a summary of the evidence to date, click here.

How does Mermaid Beach Radiology’s PRP treatment differ from other providers?

It is now know that, aside from diagnostic accuracy, platelet-dose is the most important factor in determining clinical outcomes. The threshold for clinical effect has been reported at 3.5 billion platelets, with a dose-dependent response. Simply, the more platelets, the more growth factors supporting healing.

Mermaid Beach Radiology is the only clinic in South East QLD to offer 20x, or higher platelet concentration. Based on normal platelet counts in blood, this equates to 20 billion platelets or more per injection based on a 120 mL blood draw.

Additionally, our clinical perspective on PRP treatment outcomes has shaped our “Sherif Protocol” which is a unique approach combining supra-high dose platelet dose, early in the course of the injury.

Is PRP right for me?

Platelet-rich plasma may be suitable for individuals seeking a long-term and regenerative solution for pain. However, some conditions and medication may put you at an increased risk for complications or reduce the effectiveness of PRP therapy. Please notify the clinic performing your PRP injection if any of the following apply to you.

Taking blood thinning medications (including aspirin) or have a platelet or clotting disorder
Pregnant or breastfeeding
Poorly controlled diabetes
Current infection or undergoing cancer therapy
Current or recent history of smoking
Autoimmune conditions

We recommend discussing your suitability with your trusted healthcare provider, and whether PRP may be right for you.

Do I need a referral for PRP treatment?

Yes, all diagnostic imaging and procedures require a referral from an appropriately qualified AHPRA registered medical professional for the injection, as well as, and diagnostic imaging, if required.

We welcome you no matter your referral paper. Mermaid Beach Radiology accepts referrals from eligible providers on any letterhead.

What are the preparation requirements for PRP?

Platelet-rich plasma treatment outcomes dependent on receiving the correct diagnosis and patient preparation.

Diagnostic imaging

Prior to any image-guided injection or procedure, you will require recent diagnostic imaging.

A correct diagnosis is the foundation for successful treatment, and your proceduralist’s treatment confidence depends on their confidence in the diagnostic imaging. Because every proceduralist has their own preference for imaging detail, which varies between clinics, Mermaid Beach Radiology encourages patients to have both their diagnostic imaging and procedures completed at the same clinic. However, we understand that not all radiology clinics are capable of performing the desired intervention.

If you have had prior diagnostic imaging elsewhere, our proceduralist may recommend additional diagnostic imaging performed at Mermaid Beach Radiology. This is because imaging performed elsewhere may not always meet the quality standards or confidence thresholds required by our proceduralist, leaving diagnostic ambiguity.

At Mermaid Beach Radiology, we have invested in advanced technology and novel imaging techniques not commonly available elsewhere. For example our spinal MRI imaging goes beyond conventional MRI and includes the ability to visualise painful nerves and spinal discs (NerveView and non-invasive MRI discography, respectively.)

Patient Preparation

At Mermaid Beach Radiology we have developed a pre-injection preparation protocol to optimise platelet function. This includes, but is not limited to holding anti-inflammatory medications, cessation of smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption in the lead up to your scheduled PRP procedure. Specific instructions will be provided at the time of booking and sent to you via reminder SMS prior to your procedure.

What to expect during a PRP injection?

We ask that individuals arrive early for their injection complete any necessary paperwork and perform blood draw. Our reception team will advise you of your early arrival time when booking.

Blood will be drawn from a vein directly into a dedicated specialised blood tube. A separation procedure (using a centrifuge) extracts and concentrates the platelets, forming a “platelet-rich plasma”. This PRP is injected into the target region under image-guidance.

Depending on the area to be injected, computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound (US) imaging may be used. Our team will let you know at the time of booking which modality may be used. Occasionally, the recommended modality may differ from the original referral if our radiologist deems another modality to be preferred.

Please expect to be with us for up to 1.5 to 2 hours. Actual time depends on the procedure, target sites, and number of PRP tubes required.

If you are feeling well after your procedure, you will be free to return home to rest the injected area.

What is the recovery like after PRP injection?

After your injection, you may experience increased pain for up to one week. In most cases, this is a result of the temporary increase in inflammation relating to the activated healing pathways. We recommend resting the area for up to 7 days, taking paracetamol (Panadol) or prescription pain, where required. It is important to avoid anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen in the recovery period.

Depending on your occupation and area injected, we may recommend taking a few days off work or modified activity/duties, where appropriate.

It may take between 1 week and 3 months before PRP therapy provides noticeable improvement. It is important to note that the recovery period is highly specific to each individual and their body’s healing pathways and circumstances. Individuals who follow a rehab course of physical therapy are likely to see most improvement in the affected area.

Are there any risks associated with PRP injection?

Platelet-rich plasma is considered to be a safe treatment. Because it has been isolated from a patients own blood, the risk of allergic-type reactions are significantly reduced. The risks associated with image-guided PRP include any side effects or complications of any other injection such as swelling and pain at injection site. Prior to your procedure, Mermaid Beach Radiology will provide you with a consent form which contains all the risks associated with an image-guided procedure.

How much does PRP cost?

The cost for a PRP injection depends on the preparation kit used, number of vials / volume of blood collected, and the number of areas treated.

At Mermaid Beach Radiology, a single area with one PRP tube expected out-of-pocket costs range between $850 and $1500. There are additional costs associated with multiple areas or where we require more than one collection kit tube.

Is PRP covered by Medicare?

At the time of writing, Medicare does not cover any costs associated with PRP injection. This decision was made over a decade ago (2015) when the evidence supporting the use of PRP was still in its infancy. Since this time, significant advances have been made with regard to optimal use of PRP (e.g. platelet-dose dependent effect) with many indications having randomised controlled clinical trials demonstrating superiority of PRP compared to traditional therapies such as steroid injection across many indications (DeSouza et al 2024).

What to ask before booking a PRP injection?

Not all PRP is created equal. Different clinics utilise different PRP preparation kits, with differing separation protocols, guided by differing imaging capabilities.

To ensure you get the best out of your PRP treatment, we recommend asking the following questions:

How much blood are they drawing?
- Provides an indication on the amount of platelets which may be concentrated for injection. It is simply not possible to get sufficient platelets in kits drawing 10 mL of blood.
What is the estimated platelet-dose injected for your condition?
- Literature now suggests platelet dose 3.5 billion or greater is required for clinical effect.
Is the injection performed under ultrasound (US) or CT?
- Some clinics only have US and may stretch the limitations of this modality, simply aiming for “close” enough.
- Some indications are best under CT for precision.
Is there any pre-injection or post-care instructions?
- The current evidence suggests there are many factors that contribute to treatment outcomes.
- Exercise caution if the clinic does not advise platelet-optimising preparation (e.g. stopping anti-inflammatory before and after injection).
What local anaesthetic do you use?
- Local anaesthetics impair platelet activity, and some are directly cytotoxic to platelets (e.g. Bupivacaine).

How to book a PRP injection with Mermaid Beach Radiology?

Please speak to your trusted healthcare provider about whether regenerative medicine, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is right for you and your circumstances.

Please forward your referral(s) to our reception team by uploading to our secure online portal or email to admin@mermaidbeachradiology.com.au. Call us during our phone hours on 07 5619 9499 if you wish to speak to our lovely reception team.

Are you interested in participating in PRP research at Mermaid Beach Radiology?

Disclaimer

The information provided above is general in nature and is not medical advice. Please speak to your healthcare team to help you decide if this treatment is right for you. Specific regarding kits, preparation, or prices are subject to change without notice. Please speak to our team for the latest costing and preparation instructions.