Question 1

Prostate (men)

Accepted Answer

PSA and the modern prostate pathway have their own page, the Prostate Check. PSA is a blood test done on-site; a prostate MRI is the imaging step where it is warranted. No rectal examination.

Question 2

Breast (women)

Accepted Answer

Mammogram (3D tomosynthesis). Off-site, partner imaging centre. Best for women in or past the standard NHS screening age, or wanting a mammogram outside that programme. Breast ultrasound. Off-site. Useful in younger women, dense breasts, or where a mammogram raises a question. Breast MRI. Off-site. For high-risk women, strong family history, BRCA-positive, or dense breasts where mammogram sensitivity is limited. We will say whether the NHS breast-screening pathway already covers your situation and what we add over it.

Question 3

Bowel

Accepted Answer

FIT (faecal immunochemical test). A stool sample, posted in. The same test the NHS bowel-screening programme uses. We can arrange this for people outside the NHS screening age band, or those who want it outside the programme. Colonoscopy referral. Done at a private endoscopy partner or via NHS. The standard investigation when bowel symptoms, raised FIT, or risk profile warrant a proper look at the bowel. Colonoscopy is the test that both sees and treats: polyps found can be removed at the same procedure. CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) is available when standard colonoscopy is not feasible or has been incomplete. We do not offer it routinely because anything it finds still needs a colonoscopy to deal with. Reasonable choice in selected cases; the doctor will say if it is the right one for you.

Question 4

Lung

Accepted Answer

Low-dose CT (LDCT) lung scan. Off-site, partner imaging centre. The most useful test where it applies: current and ex-smokers in the at-risk age band, or those with relevant occupational exposure. Not a useful test for low-risk people because the false-positive rate matters more than the test sensitivity at low pre-test probability.

Question 5

Skin

Accepted Answer

Doctor-level skin examination. A registered GP reviews any lesion you are worried about during the consultation. Useful for triage and reassurance about most moles.

Question 6

Whole-body imaging

Accepted Answer

Whole-body MRI. Off-site, partner imaging centre. A single scan covering head, neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis. Most comprehensive single-imaging investigation we can arrange. What to weigh up. Whole-body MRI finds incidental things in roughly a third of people scanned, most of which turn out to be nothing, and the workup for "nothing" is what creates anxiety and cost. Most useful for people with multiple-primary family histories, known genetic predisposition (Lynch, BRCA), or where the doctor agrees the breadth makes sense. Not a useful test for "just being thorough" if you have no specific reason. We will say at the consultation whether whole-body MRI is likely to add something for you, or whether targeted imaging answers your question better.

Question 7

Multi-cancer early-detection (Galleri)

Accepted Answer

Galleri is a blood test that looks for a signal shared by more than fifty cancers, including many the NHS has no programme for. Where it finds a signal, it points to where in the body it is likely coming from. It is a private test, not yet NHS or NICE approved: a no signal detected result does not rule cancer out, and a positive signal detected result means further investigation to find the source. We can arrange it, priced separately, always alongside your usual NHS screening rather than in place of it, with a doctor to talk through what it can and cannot tell you. The result usually takes about three weeks. Read more about the Galleri test.

Question 8

Why do I need to see a doctor first?

Accepted Answer

Three reasons. Most imaging needs a referring doctor by regulation. The right test for one person's question is often not the right test for another's, and a short conversation prevents wasted spend on the wrong investigation. And some of what private clinics offer is not the right next step for a particular patient, and we would rather tell you that than sell you something that does not help.

Question 9

Can I just book the test and skip the consultation?

Accepted Answer

For FIT and PSA, often yes. For everything imaging-based, no: the test needs a referring doctor and the conversation needs to happen first.

Question 10

What about the NHS pathway?

Accepted Answer

NHS screening is free for cervical, breast, bowel (FIT) and the targeted lung CT pilot where eligible. We will tell you whether you are eligible at the consultation. If you want a test outside the NHS programme, or one it does not cover, we can arrange it.

Question 11

I have a strong family history. What is the right way to start?

Accepted Answer

The doctor consultation. From there, the right next step is usually one of two: imaging that targets the family-history concern (mpMRI, breast MRI, whole-body MRI in some cases), or referral into NHS clinical genetics, which provides genetic testing and counselling for people who meet the criteria. We will say which fits your situation.

Question 12

I want everything done at once. Can I just book the lot?

Accepted Answer

We will tell you straight if that is the right call. The doctor will say what would actually answer your question and what would not.

Question 13

Will you tell me I am wasting my money if I am?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The model is that you trust us to tell you the truth at the visit, and we trust you to pay for what you book. We would rather lose a sale than sell you a test you do not need.

Question 14

My friend had Galleri. Should I?

Accepted Answer

Possibly, and it is worth understanding properly. Galleri is a blood test that looks for a signal shared by more than fifty cancers, including many with no screening test of their own. It works best as an extra layer for people already keeping up with NHS screening who want to look wider. A no signal detected result is reassuring rather than a guarantee, and a positive signal detected result means further investigation to find the source. We can arrange it, and the consultation is there to work out whether it is a sensible step for you. Read more about the Galleri test.

Early detection.

A few things to say before the menu

How it works

Choose what you want

Answer a few questions

Test or scan goes ahead

A doctor explains your results

The right test, for the right reason

The menu

Follow-up

Pricing

Galleri multi-cancer test

What's not included

Questions, answered.

Early detection

Reading

Early detection: what testing can and cannot find

Whole-body MRI and the incidentaloma problem

Galleri and what the NHS-Galleri trial showed

Tumour markers: monitoring tests, not screening tests

Bowel: FIT and colonoscopy, who needs what

Breast: mammogram, ultrasound or MRI

Low-dose CT lung screening: who it is for

The other doors

General Health

Heart

Hormones

Prostate

Scans and Imaging

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