What are the differences between a full body scan and a full body MOT?
Full body scans are growing in popularity as they can be used to detect on-going health conditions you may not be aware of. Earlier this month Davina McCall revealed that her 14mm benign brain tumour was discovered when she underwent one.
The 57-year-old has since had brain surgery to remove the tumour and is recovering at home, including working on her short term memory, which has gone "remiss" after the operation.
Medical assessments can help you gain a better understanding of your overall health, any underlying conditions or areas of concern as well as steps to take to avoid illness in the future.
But there are concerns over the accuracy of such scans - and the associated costs. US experts warned of false-positive findings and the consequences when Kim Kardashian promoted one last year. They advocated for preventative healthcare, in its place.
AXA Health states that it’s important never to "substitute" getting a full health check for a GP appointment. If you have a specific issue you want to discuss book in with your doctor to get this checked out.
What is a full body scan and how is different to a health MOT?
As the title suggests, this private treatment consists of a full body MRI or CT scan to detect any on-going health concerns from your cardiovascular system to moles, blood and tumours.
All of these procedures have to be paid for through private healthcare and aren’t provided on the NHS. MRI scans can detect and diagnose a host of different issues with your neurological, cardiovascular or musculoskeletal system, as well as pick up any cancer, organ diseases, internal injuries or chronic conditions.
One option on the market is a £299 scan from Neko, created by Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek. The Guardian states this consists of a “high-resolution 2D and 3D photography, thermal imaging, then detailed cardiovascular measurements to map how the heart is pumping and blood is moving through the arteries, veins and capillaries.”
As part of this process, the patient is also tested on their grip strength, eye pressure and some blood is taken too. Your full health assessment is delivered to you as quickly as 15 minutes after your appointment.
The full tests available and price of a private full body scan depends on the clinic, with many costing over £1,000.
What is a full body MOT and how is different to a full body scan?
A full body MOT - sometimes referred to as a midlife MOT - is a medical and occupational test that examines your overall health and wellbeing through a series of measurements, observations and tests to check how your organs are functioning.
"A health screening is a routine check-up of your general health," says Dr Kiran Johal, an NHS Doctor told Vitality. “The idea is to give an overall picture of your current health and wellbeing, as well as determining your risk of developing particular medical conditions."
Health screenings can help detect conditions sooner and if they're found quicker, then it’s more likely that the treatment will be successful or lifestyle changes can be implemented.
On the NHS, there is a free health check every five years available to those aged between 40 and 74 without pre-existing conditions. This isn't given to anyone under the age of 40 as they're at "lower risk" of the health conditions this check tests for.
This 30-minute check up is held in a GP surgery by a doctor or nurse as they go through a series of tests and questions to determine if you may have a risk of developing certain diseases due to your lifestyle, how much you smoke, drink, exercise etc.
Doctors use the test to check for a range of warning symptoms for conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, kidney disease and high blood pressure.
At this stage, it would be unlikely to have any scans, but if the check up flagged anything unusual you could be referred for further scans or blood tests.
Read more about Davina McCall and full body scans:
Full-body scans to look for hidden disease are a bad idea – here’s why (The Conversation, 4-min read)
Dying woman’s petition for full body cancer scans before 'all clear' verdicts hits 150k signatures (Yahoo News, 3-min read)
Most People Can't Afford A Full-Body MRI. Here's What You Can Do Instead (Huff Post, 6-min read)
