Chigwell Diagnostic Centre

Our Base and Plus Full Body Scans take around 90 minutes to complete.

You can book a Full Body Scan every year as a regular screening tool for your health.

We’ve made it easy to find a Full Body Scan near you. With locations from London to Liverpool, and Manchester to Middlesex, we have a range of clinics nationwide.

MRI scans are generally safe for most people, and they don’t use any ionising radiation.

Full Body MRI scans aren’t recommended during pregnancy, or if you have implanted metal or medical devices. These include pacemakers, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, pins, plates and some contraceptive devices.

This is because the scanner uses very strong magnets that could interact with metallic objects.

When you arrive for your Full Body Scan, you might be asked to complete some safety questions and a consent form.

Then, you’ll be taken to a changing area where you can store your belongings. You must leave everything behind - belts, wallets, jewellery, phones and any removable piercings and medical devices.

In some cases, you could be asked to change into a medical gown.

Then you’ll enter the scanning room, where you’ll lie on a motorised platform that moves inside the scanner. You’ll normally be given a pillow, blanket, and ear protection or headphones as the scanner can be noisy.

Your radiographer will leave the room during the scan, but you can speak to them via an intercom system. The scan takes around 90 minutes.

A Full Body Scan can detect musculoskeletal conditions and joint issues within the areas covered. However, it is not a dedicated diagnostic MRI of the joints and does not include the extremities (limbs).

If you need a scan to investigate a specific joint or spinal issue, please visit our sister site to book a focussed scan on your area of concern.

We only offer Full Body Scans for people aged 18 and over.

Full Body MRI is a powerful, radiation-free screening tool that produces detailed images without the need for contrast. However, it isn’t ideal for every part of the body.

For example, the lungs are difficult to image clearly with MRI, and the heart requires specialised scans due to constant movement. That’s why these areas aren’t included in all packages—though our Comprehensive Scan does include the heart.

Each package is carefully designed to focus on areas where MRI is most effective, offering valuable insights in a safe, time-efficient way.

Full Body Scans can be used to check for cancer, lesions, aneurysms and other anomalies within the included organs and bodily structures.

Sometimes, incidental findings can be discovered, such as normal age-related changes.

You’ll receive a written report of the findings from an expert radiologist. We also provide pre and post-scan clinician consultations to help you understand your results and next steps with confidence.