Should You Get A Full Body Scan?

Are you asking yourself, “Should I get a full body scan?” Whether for peace of mind, part of a preventative health check, or because your doctor has recommended it, you may be wondering about the types of scans available and whether a full-body screening is the best option for you.

We’ll walk you through what’s involved in a whole-body scan, what it can detect, and who it may be most suitable for. We’ll also delve deeper into the most common scan, a full-body MRI, and consider the benefits, limitations and risks of this type of screening test so you’re fully informed about your choices.

What is a Full Body Scan?

A full body scan is a detailed medical imaging test that takes a close look at almost every part of your body from head to pelvis. It's sometimes called a whole-body scan, full-body screening, or total-body scan, and it uses advanced imaging techniques to detect potential health issues before symptoms appear.

Think of it as a thorough MOT for your body, offering a window into how your organs, tissues and blood vessels are working.

You might consider a full body scan to look for signs of serious conditions like cancer or heart disease, especially if you have a family history or other risk factors (e.g. smoking, use of alcohol, high blood pressure or physical inactivity). You might also consider getting a full body scan if you’ve previously had cancer and are no longer receiving regular monitoring.

However, you can choose to have a full body scan simply for your own peace of mind or as part of a preventative healthcare plan (personalised screening), to support lifestyle changes or a deeper understanding of your health.

What Types of Full-Body Scans Are Available?

There’s more than one way to take a deeper look inside your body, depending on the types of insights you’re looking for. Fullbodyscan.com focuses on MRI screenings, but there are many preventative health scans available.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) screenings

This type of scan uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create clear images of soft tissues, like your brain, organs, and muscles, without any risk of radiation. MRI can be used for cancer screening, investigating the function and condition of the blood vessels, and spotting musculoskeletal disorders. They provide exceptionally detailed images of most tissue types.

DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) Body Composition Scan

A body composition DEXA scan measures and analyses the mass of fat, muscle, and bone in your body. It can be used to support weight loss planning, and can also provide your basal metabolic rate (BMR) measurement to help with calorie counting.

CT (Computed Tomography) scans

CT scans use X-rays to produce cross-sectional images of the body. Full body CT scans are uncommon, as they do expose you to ionising radiation. That’s why they would likely only be used in emergency settings to gather quick insights into the extent of trauma, for example after an accident. However, low-dose CT scans are an effective method of lung screening, and can be used to spot the signs of lung cancer earlier, while the disease is at its most treatable.

The right scan for you depends on your overall health, your doctor’s guidance, and your individual reasons for choosing a screening scan.

Our Full Body Scan packages

We offer three different scanning packages based on your individual needs.

Full Body Scan Base:

Covers major organs, soft tissues, and blood vessels from head to pelvis. Detects tumours, lesions, abnormal growths, aneurysms, and more.

• Brain
• Chest
• Neck blood vessels
• Abdomen and pelvis, including liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, uterus, ovaries and prostate.

Full Body Scan Plus:

Our Plus package is a level up from our Basic scan. It includes everything in the Base package, plus a complete spine scan to check your spinal structure and nerve health. It’s a good way to monitor degeneration, investigate back pain, and keep track of your overall spinal health.

Full Body Scan Comprehensive:

This is our longest scan and most detailed package. It includes everything in our base package, plus the whole spine in the plus package, with bonus heart (cardiac) MRI screening.

Who Might Benefit From a Full-Body MRI?

Full-body MRI scans can be helpful for people at a higher risk of developing certain medical conditions, including:

• People with a strong family history of cancer, heart disease, or neurological disorders.
• Those exposed to environmental or lifestyle risks (such as heavy smoking or pollution).
• Anyone with unexplained symptoms that haven’t been diagnosed yet.

If you fall into any of these groups, a full-body MRI might give your doctor the information they need to spot early signs of illness, or rule them out.

It’s also common to consider a full body screening during times of change, such as retirement, menopause, taking a high-performance job, losing a loved one, or becoming a parent. A full body scan equips you with detailed insights about your health, giving you peace of mind and actionable insights to stay on top of your wellbeing.