Questions and answers

Preventicum offers the only non-invasive, doctor-led health assessments that take place on a single day, at our luxury London clinic, with results before you leave.

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Our advanced health assessments detect the earliest signs of and risks factors for heart disease, cancers, stroke and many other conditions, allowing you to optimise your health and giving you the ultimate peace of mind.

If you are over 18 and interested in your health, a Preventicum assessment will be beneficial for you. Our advanced health assessments are radiation-free and have no known side-effects. Our health assessments will give you the most complete picture of your health, together with an understanding of how to live your life to the full.

Our advanced health assessments detect the earliest signs and risk factors for heart disease, cancers, stroke and many other conditions, so that you can optimise your health.

Our health assessments use advanced MRI and ultrasound scanning technology which are safe and have no known side effects. While incidental, non-significant findings may occur, we are experienced in recognising normal variations and will always explain all results clearly.

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A health assessment does not guarantee future health, so maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reporting new symptoms to your GP remains essential.

Investing in the physical and mental health of your key, senior people has a positive effect on the individual, as well as on the development of your team and entire organisation and our corporate health assessments allow them to optimise their wellbeing and perform at their best.

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As a corporate client, you will benefit from a dedicated account manager to oversee your account as well as annually-agreed preferential rates. Our corporate health assessments are also exempt from income tax.

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Click here for more information on our corporate assessments.

Yes, Preventicum is registered with the Care Quality Commision (CQC).

Our client's privacy is very important to us and all your personal details, results and images are secure and will never be given out without your consent, including to your GP.

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Preventicum complies with the Data Protection Act.

UK medical insurance policies do not generally cover the cost of preventive health assessments. Some European and US policies will cover part of the cost, but you will need to check these details with your insurer. If you have a referral letter for a specific examination or scan, you should check with your insurance company to see if they will cover the cost of this for you.

Normal results from your health assessment can be favourable to your insurance risk. It is also possible that significant findings from your tests and scans may negatively influence your future medical insurance risk when declared to an insurance provider.

Your health assessment will take place at our clinic on Cursitor Street, off Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1EN. We have our own, discreet entrance.

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Our clinic is suitable for wheelchair access. If you require any assistance, please contact our Client Relations Team here.

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For more information, click here.

Preventicum is registered by the Care Quality Commision and our status does not permit anyone under the age of 18 within the clinic.

To book your Preventicum assessment call us on 020 7605 6900, email us at info@preventicum.co.uk or click here to schedule a time for our  Client Relations Team to call you at your convenience.

No, you can book your health assessment without a referral.

Before your assessment, please login to your client portal to complete your medical questionnaire and order your lunch.

If this is your first assessment with us, please check your email for the subject ‘Register on the Preventicum Client Portal’ to set up your portal password. If this link has expired, please click here. If you have visited Preventicum before, you can access your client portal here.

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Please fast for at least six hours before your assessment - you should drink still water during this time. If you are diabetic and your appointment is before 8.00am, please fast for six hours and continue with your medication. If your appointment is after 8.00am, you may eat a light breakfast as early as possible and continue with your medication.

Please fast for at least six hours before your assessment. You should continue to drink still water only during this time. It is important to remain fasted for your blood tests, MRI scans and ultrasound examinations. Our team will ensure that you're able to enjoy a snack, tea or coffee and your pre-ordered lunch as soon as possible after these tests.

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If you are diabetic, please let our Client Relations Team know when booking, they will help arrange the most suitable appointment for you. If your appointment is before 8.00am, please fast for six hours and continue with your medication. If your appointment is after 8.00am, you may have a light breakfast as early as possible and continue with your medication.

Please bring a pair of trainers for your exercise stress echocardiogram. If you wear contact lenses, please bring a case or a spare pair as you will need to remove these for your glaucoma test. We ask our female clients to bring a front-fastening sports bra although we do have some in the clinic. If you use a continous glucose monitor, an insulin pump or horomone, pain releif, nicotine or other mediated skin patches, please bring a spare patch as you may need to remove these before your MRI scan.

If you would like to reschedule or cancel your assessment, please allow more than five working days' notice, otherwise a cancellation fee will be charged equal to the full cost of your assessment.

If you are fitted with a pacemaker, we will not perform MRI scans due to the associated risks. You will also be unable to have a body composition test as the electrical currents of the InBody machine used may disrupt the functionality of life-sustaining implants. Please let our Client Relations Team know if you have a pacemaker and they will be able to further advise.

If you have a history of a deteched retina, we will not complete spirometry testing as there is the rare complication of retinal detatchment. We will still complete your tonometry (glaucoma testing) which can be used to diagnose a retinal detachment and is safe to perform.

We recommend our health assessments for clients aged 18-75 years. If you are over 75, please book a call with our Client Relations Team to discuss your needs and to ensure we provide the best support.

Please click here to see what your day at Preventicum will entail.

Our Optimal and Ultimate Assessments take up to seven hours. Our Core Assessment, exclusively for our corporate clients, takes approximately four hours.

Our assessments do not include any imaging that emit ionising radiation ("x-rays") such as CT scans as some studies have suggested an increased risk of harm from multiple CT scans. If you are clinically indicated to benefit from a CT scan, we will refer you to a partner clinic.

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We use ultrasound imaging and MRI, which use sound waves and radio waves in a magnetic field to look inside your body. These are safe forms of imaging with no known side-effects.

We look for the signs and symptoms of respiratory disease in your detailed medical questionnaire, clinical examination and spirometry (lung function) test. If you are at a high risk of lung cancer, your Preventicum Doctor may refer you for our Lung Health Check which includes a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan of  the lungs. This scan can reveal cancers too small to be seen with other methods, offering a critical advantage in early detection. You can read more about our Lung Health Check here.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition where the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked. This can lead to reduced blood flow to the heart, potentially causing chest pain (angina) or, in severe cases, a heart attack.

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Our assessments include advanced cardiac MRI scans and an exercise stress echocardiography test which help to identify evidence of CAD. These cutting-edge techniques allow us to visualise the structure and function of the heart, assess blood flow and identify any areas of reduced perfusion or abnormalities that might indicate CAD. Early identification enables important lifestyle, pharmacological and, in severe cases, surgical interventions to be implemented to prevent a heart attack.

A coronary calcium score is a CT scan which can help to assess the risk of coronary artery disease. We do not complete this test because coronary artery health is more acccurately assessed by a combination of stress echocardiography, cardiac MRI and identification of cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol profile, blood pressure and carotid artery ultrasound, which are all included in our assessments.

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Our Optimal Assessment additionally includes Oxygenation-Sensitive Cardiac MRI (OS-CMR) which measures your coronary vascular function and an Lp-PLA2 blood test which calculates the risk of plaque accumulation in your coronary vessels. Furthermore, CT scans are associated with an ionising radiation risk and can produce false negative and false positive results.

An exercise stress echocardiogram is a non-invasive, radiation-free test that evaluates heart function at rest and under stress. Included in all our Preventicum assessments, it involves exercising on either a treadmill or supine bike to reach your target heart rate.

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Throughout the test, our team of Physiologists monitor your heart rate and rhythm using an ECG. Once you reach your peak exercise rate, we use ultrasound to assess how your heart muscle responds to stress. This test helps detect a decrease in blood flow to the heart from narrowing of the coronary arteries, assess heart function and structure and diagnose underlying heart disease.

We are proud to partner with Area19 to offer Oxygenation-Sensitive Cardiac MRI (OS-CMR) to our Optimal and Optimal+ Assessments. This world first in preventive health assessments offers a stress and medication free way of testing coronary vascular function in just three minutes, using AI-informed analysis, offering a significant leap in cardiac diagnostics. The test, involving one brief breath-hold, followed by a minute of rapid breathing (hyperventilation) and another, long breath-hold, effectively triggers a response of the heart’s vasculature.

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The analysis of images and associated information, is meticulously validated by a Specialist Cardiology Consultant, ensuring the reliability of this innovative method in detecting subtle cardiac irregularities. This approach not only provides detailed insights into the heart’s responsiveness but also holds the potential to uncover early abnormalities in clinically healthy individuals. This test complements our stress echocardiogram by providing additional detail of not only the large vessels supplying the heart, but also the small vessels of the heart (microvasculature) where disease of either can lead to a heart attack.

It is rare that we are unable to perform our tests due to size, however, clients heavier than 125kg (20 stone) need to be aware that image quality and resolution may be significantly compromised in MRI and abdominal and pelvic ultrasound images. Our assessments also include an exercise echocardiogram where we use a supine bike with an upper weight limit of 130kg (approximately 20 stone) or a treadmill with an upper weight limit of 180kg (approximately 28 stone).

Our wide-bore MRI scanners have larger openings making them feel spacious that other scanners and are equipped with an audio-visual system so that you can listen to music or watch a film of your choice during your scans. You can also choose to have ambient lighting in the room which helps to create a relaxing environment. Our team of Radiographers will ensure you are comfortable at all times and will answer any questions you have.

Our health assessments are extremely extensive, however, occasionally, after taking your medical history and carrying out a physical examination, your Preventicum Doctor may recommend additional tests. You will discuss this with your Preventicum Doctor in your initial consultation so you can make an informed decision as to whether you would like to proceed. Please note that there may be additional charges for extra tests.

Yes, there are extra blood tests you can consider which will be discussed with your Preventicum Doctor in your initial consultation. Sometimes these blood tests take longer to process so results are not available on the day but will be detailed in your written report.

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Common blood test requests include blood group, menopause, fertility and testosterone.

We do not currently offer TruCheck or the Galleri blood test, as both are still under investigation and not proven for routine screening in asymptomatic individuals. TruCheck detects circulating tumour cells that may never develop into cancer and Galleri is part of an ongoing NHS trial with limited data on its effectiveness for screening.

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We closely monitor research in Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) and continue to provide the most comprehensive preventive assessments through advanced blood tests, ultrasound and MRI to help identify cancer risks and early signs.

All Preventicum assessments include an in-depth consultation with your Preventicum Doctor where you can discuss any concerns about your gynaecological health and history. If clincially indicated, you will also have a physical examination of the pelvic region and a cervical screening test.

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A transabdominal ultrasound will also be completed where your ovaries, uterus and bladder will be assessed and if clinically indicated, we can also complete a transvaginal pelvic ultrasound.

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In cases where it is difficult to visualise your ovaries, such as when there is overlying bowel gas obstructing our view, or if any specific concerns are identified, your Preventicum Doctor can refer you to a specialist in their extensive network for futher investigations.

Your medical questionnaire includes a dedicated section on female health and you will be able to discuss any concerns you have in your one hour consultation with your Preventicum Doctor. Your Preventicum Doctor will also discuss any additional blood profiles which would be beneficial to add if clincially indicated, including a menopause panel which includes follicular stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, oestradiol and testosterone. Thryoid function tests and included in all Preventicum assessments.

All Preventicum assessments include ultrasound and MRI scans of your ovaries which can identify any pathology. We would then recommend you for further monitoring or investigations as appropriate.

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CA125 is not specific as a tumour marker meaning it is not an accurate screening test for ovarian cancer alone. It is also raised in endometriosis, fibroids and pregnancy. If we identify any concerns from your history or imaging, we recommend further tests that may include CA125.

During your Preventicum assessment you will have a detailed consultation with your Preventicum Doctor which includes discussing your personal and family history of breast cancer. A full breast examination is offered, as well as a thorough explanation of breast self-examination.

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Your Preventicum Doctor may discuss the benefits of referring you to Miss Joanna Franks, Consultant Breast and Oncoplastic Surgeon, for detailed breast screening. Here you will discuss your symptoms, personal and family history in a detailed in-person consultations, after which she will recommend mammography or digital ultrasound, depending on what is most clinically appropriate for you.

If you are or think you may be pregnant, please let our team know before you book your health assessment. We would not carry out MRI scanning until after your pregnancy, since these are elective scans that can be postponed.

If clinically indicated, we may need to perform contrast enhanced MRI scans. We advise that you wait 24 hours until after your MRI scans before continuing to breastfeed, due to the use of the contrast agent Gadolinium.