As of October 2026. By The Wellness Team.
Should I start with blood tests or a body scan?
Start with the clinical question, not the technology. Blood tests assess selected aspects of physiology and risk; imaging examines particular structures. Neither is a complete substitute for the other. Combining them does not automatically make an assessment better. Your symptoms, history and examination should guide what information could help.
If you feel well and want a baseline, a focused risk discussion may identify a small number of useful tests. If you have symptoms, a diagnostic appointment may be the better starting point. A large panel should not become a detour around assessment of the problem that brought you to the clinic.
What biomarkers can tell you
Depending on the chosen panel, blood work can assess blood counts, glucose regulation, lipids and aspects of kidney or liver function. Recent illness, medicines, hydration and sampling conditions can influence results. A laboratory flag is not automatically a diagnosis. A normal result may not address a symptom.
Discuss your priorities and the right next step with the clinic (https://www.thelondonprpclinic.com/contact-best-prp-clinic-london).
The marker count is a poor measure of value. Several reported values may overlap or come from a calculation. Ask which result is likely to change a decision and who will explain it. The useful output is an interpreted plan rather than a spreadsheet of numbers.
What imaging can tell you
Ultrasound, CT and MRI answer different questions. An ultrasound of one area is not a whole-body assessment. CT can involve radiation. MRI does not use ionising radiation but can still miss disease or create uncertainty through incidental findings. The protocol and the clinical question matter.
Ask which area will be examined, why, who reports it and what happens after an uncertain finding. Do not assume imaging or specialist review is included in a biomarker price. Any proposed imaging needs a defined scope and separate quote unless explicitly included in your written agreement.
Can either option rule out cancer?
No broad blood panel or whole-body scan can rule out all cancer. Established screening programmes are designed for particular populations and conditions. Tumour markers often have roles in managing known disease or answering selected diagnostic questions, rather than screening everyone who feels well.
The American College of Radiology notes insufficient evidence for routine total-body MRI screening in asymptomatic people without relevant risk. A systematic review of preventive whole-body MRI also describes incidental findings and limitations in outcome evidence. Finding more abnormalities is not by itself proof of benefit.
A practical route through the choice
Describe the question first. Review existing results so you do not pay to repeat information that remains useful. Agree a sensible set of investigations and ask what each could change. Confirm follow-up before testing begins.
For cardiovascular concern, the discussion may focus on conventional risk factors and whether additional assessment would alter management. For a new symptom, a targeted diagnostic route may be needed. For reassurance without a specific concern, discussing the limits of testing is part of good care.
When is a premium assessment worth considering?
Time, coordination and a clear explanation of options can justify a higher fee. The fee should buy a written scope and accountability for follow-up, not the claim that every available investigation is necessary. Compare packages on those details before comparing headline marker counts.
A larger budget can be directed towards the question that matters most to your care. A carefully chosen test with useful interpretation may offer more value than an extensive panel whose results do not change a decision.
What does the evidence support?
Cochrane's review did not find an overall mortality benefit from general health checks in the populations studied. This does not mean every preventive action is ineffective. It means a broad package should not be sold as proven to prolong life. Evidence for an indicated component does not validate a branded bundle, repeated testing or claims of superiority. The useful question is whether the proposed action is appropriate for someone like you.
What does executive biomarker screening cost?
As of October 2026, executive biomarker screening through The London PRP Clinic starts at £1,295 for biomarkers only. This is not a full-body scan or an all-inclusive cardiac investigation. Confirm the exact panel and any consultation, imaging, specialist review or follow-up in a written quote before booking. A larger budget is best directed towards a question that matters to your care, rather than an ever-longer list of markers.
Is membership necessary?
A one-off assessment and ongoing care are separate choices. The Wellness offers optional GP membership; do not assume a particular screening panel, scan or specialist fee is included. If continuity is your priority, review the current membership service and written terms (https://www.thewellnesslondon.com/membership). Membership is not presented here as a condition of booking biomarker screening.
Questions to ask before booking
- What clinical question does each test answer?
- What would we do differently after a normal or abnormal result?
- Could a false positive lead to a procedure or further tests?
- Which fees are included, and which require a separate quote?
- Who explains the results and owns follow-up?
Ask for a personalised assessment and clear written scope (https://www.thelondonprpclinic.com/contact-best-prp-clinic-london).
When should I seek urgent help instead?
New chest pain, severe breathlessness, collapse or sudden stroke-like symptoms may require emergency care. Call 999 for a suspected emergency. Persistent or worsening symptoms need timely clinical advice even after normal screening. A planned check or a 90-day review must never delay urgent assessment.
Evidence and further reading
- Mayo Clinic: strategies to prevent heart disease (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-disease-prevention/art-20046502)
- Cochrane: general health checks (https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD009009_general-health-checks-reducing-illness-and-mortality)
- Systematic review: preventive whole-body MRI (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6850647/)
- USPSTF: screening with ECG (https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/cardiovascular-disease-risk-screening-with-electrocardiography)
This is general health information, not an individual diagnosis. The recommendations above need to be applied to your age, history, symptoms and relevant local clinical guidance.