The most significant health conditions — cardiovascular disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, liver disease, early-stage cancer — develop silently over years before producing symptoms. By the time symptoms appear, the condition is often advanced and harder to treat. Regular health checks identify these conditions at a stage when intervention is most effective.
The NHS Health Check programme offers a basic cardiovascular risk assessment (blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI) to adults aged 40–74 every five years. It does not include imaging. Private ultrasound health checks at Sonoworld provide a level of structural assessment that is not available through the NHS pathway for asymptomatic individuals.
| Organ / System | Conditions detectable by ultrasound |
|---|---|
| Liver | Fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, liver lesions, gallstones |
| Kidneys | Renal cysts, hydronephrosis, renal masses, kidney stones |
| Aorta | Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) — recommended screening for all men over 65 |
| Thyroid | Thyroid nodules, goitre, thyroid cysts |
| Heart | Valvular disease, cardiomyopathy, heart failure (echocardiogram) |
| Carotid arteries | Atherosclerosis, carotid stenosis, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) |
| Pelvis (women) | Ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometrial abnormalities |
| Prostate (men) | Prostate enlargement, prostate lesions |
| Testes (men) | Testicular cysts, varicocele, early testicular masses |
| Breast (women) | Breast cysts, fibroadenomas, suspicious masses |
There is no single answer — the appropriate frequency depends on your age, risk factors, and findings on previous scans. As a general guide:
Sonoworld offers a range of health check packages designed for proactive health monitoring:
The most common finding on a full body scan that changes a patient's management is incidental — something found that the patient had no symptoms of and no reason to suspect. Renal cysts, gallstones, thyroid nodules, and early fatty liver disease are the most frequent incidental findings. In the majority of cases, these findings are benign and require only a note in the medical record. In a minority, they lead to further investigation that identifies a condition at a treatable stage. This is the value of proactive screening.
No. You can book directly at Sonoworld without a GP referral.
Your written report is provided to you directly within 24 hours. You may share it with your GP if you wish. We do not share reports with third parties without your consent.
Sonoworld is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our sonographers are registered with HCPC and are members of BMUS. All scans are performed at our Marylebone clinic: 29 Weymouth Street, London W1G 7DB.
Same-day and next-day appointments available at our Marylebone clinic. Instant verbal results. Written report within 24 hours. No GP referral required.
Price: from £235
Or call us on 020 7486 1991
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