By The Health Clinic Stockholm medical team. Last clinically reviewed: 27 April 2026.
Full body MRI screening has gone from “exotic preventive medicine” to a competitive consumer category in Stockholm in three years. Neko Health, Elfcare, and a handful of established private clinics now compete for the same audience. Prices range from 2,750 SEK to 52,000 SEK depending on what’s bundled with the scan.
This guide compares the three most-asked-about providers — Neko Health, Elfcare, and The Health Clinic Stockholm — on what’s actually included, who does what well, and where each model has limits. We’re one of the providers compared here, so I’ll be explicit about where competitors do something better than us. Pretending otherwise wouldn’t help you decide.
What a full body MRI actually scans
Modern MRI screening protocols for “full body” typically include:
- Brain — including major blood vessels (MR angiography)
- Cervical spine — neck vertebrae and discs
- Thoracic spine — middle back
- Lumbar spine — lower back
- Chest / lungs — broad screening, not high-resolution lung detail
- Abdomen — liver, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands
- Pelvis — bladder, prostate (men) or uterus + ovaries (women)
- Major joints — hips, sometimes knees and shoulders depending on protocol
Total scan time: 45–90 minutes depending on detail and protocol.
Resolution and clinical value depend on the MRI machine specification:
- 1.5 Tesla (1.5T) — standard, adequate for most screening
- 3 Tesla (3T) — higher resolution, better for brain, prostate, fine joint
- AI-augmented protocols (Neko’s approach) — different model entirely; uses non-MRI sensors plus rapid-pass imaging
The screening protocol matters as much as the machine.
What full body MRI does NOT scan (and what cancer screenings are missing)
Important: full body MRI is not a complete cancer screen. It misses or under-detects:
- Colon cancer (needs colonoscopy or stool DNA)
- Skin cancer / melanoma (needs dermatologist with dermatoscope)
- Lung cancer in early stage (needs low-dose CT for high-risk patients)
- Cervical cancer (needs pap + HPV)
- Breast cancer in dense breasts (mammogram or breast MRI specifically; full-body MRI of pelvis catches some but not all)
- Hematological cancers (needs blood markers + clinical exam)
A full body MRI is excellent for structural imaging — detecting masses, anomalies in organs, brain aneurysms, joint pathology — but it doesn’t replace specialty screenings. A clinic that suggests it does is overpromising.
Neko Health — strengths and limits
Price: 2,750 SEK / scan in Stockholm (consumer entry price) Format: Body scan + brief bloods + ~10-min physician review Technology: Proprietary multi-sensor scanner — not traditional MRI. Uses near-IR, photoplethysmography, EKG, weight composition, and dermatology cameras.
Strengths:
- Fast, consumer-friendly experience
- Skin imaging is genuinely strong — very high resolution dermatoscopy across full body
- Cardiovascular indicators (BP, EKG, blood lipids) collected in one visit
- Brand and marketing make people actually go (good for population health)
Limits:
- Not a true MRI — calling it “full body scan” is technically accurate but creates confusion
- Limited internal organ visualisation compared to MRI
- Brief physician interaction — typically not specialist depth
- One-shot model; follow-up requires separate booking and payment
- Not designed for medically complex patients
Who Neko is right for: previously well 30–45-year-olds wanting an annual checkpoint with strong skin imaging. Less right for: patients with specific symptoms or complex risk profiles.
Elfcare — strengths and limits
Price: ~35,000 SEK for full body MRI + 80 biomarkers Format: Initial consultation + full body MRI at Sabbatsberg Hospital + blood panel + report consultation Technology: True 1.5T or 3T MRI in partnership with Sabbatsberg Hospital. Reading by radiologist + general physician.
Strengths:
- Real MRI, real radiologist read
- 80+ biomarkers — comprehensive lab panel
- Same-week appointments
- Single product, clearly priced
- Hospital-grade infrastructure (using Sabbatsberg Hospital MRI)
Limits:
- Single-product model — no specialist follow-through if MRI finds something
- Limited continuity of care — you go for the screening, then leave
- No in-house specialists for downstream referrals — they refer outside, which can take time
- Only one tier — if you want less or more, options are limited
Who Elfcare is right for: patients who want imaging-led screening as a one-time investment, are willing to follow up with separate specialists if anything is found.
Health 360 / Health Optimize — what’s different at our clinic
Price:
- Health 360 — 34,900 SEK (12-month programme)
- Health Optimize — 52,000 SEK (executive tier)
Format (Health Optimize, our full-body MRI tier):
- Pre-scan specialist consultation
- 87+ biomarkers including longevity panel (ApoB, Lp(a), HOMA-IR, hs-CRP, NT-proBNP)
- Full body 3T MRI with radiologist reading
- VO₂ max test (CPET)
- DEXA body composition
- Echocardiogram + carotid ultrasound
- Cardiology + nutrition consultations
- Optional genetic risk panel
- Comprehensive report consultation
- 12-month programme follow-up
Strengths:
- Specialist follow-through when MRI finds something — 22 specialties in-house
- Continuity of care — same physician across visits
- Longevity-focused biomarkers in addition to imaging
- Direct billing for Cigna, CARPS, Allianz, embassy plans
- Designed for ongoing health management, not one-shot
Limits:
- Higher price point than Elfcare
- Overkill for someone who just wants imaging once
- Programme commitment (12 months for Health 360, lifetime context for memberships)
Who we are right for: patients with complex risk profiles, family history of disease, embassy/expat needs, executives who want a 12-month programme with specialist support — not a one-shot scan.
Price comparison — and what’s hiding in the price
Comparing apples to apples:
| Neko | Elfcare | Health 360 (us) | Health Optimize (us) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 2,750 SEK | ~35,000 SEK | 34,900 SEK | 52,000 SEK |
| Imaging | Multi-sensor scan | Full body 1.5T MRI | Full body MRI included | Full body 3T MRI + DEXA + carotid + echo |
| Biomarkers | ~10 basic | 80+ | 87+ | 100+ |
| Specialist consult | ~10 min GP | 1× consult | Multiple specialists, 12-month | Cardiology + nutrition + others |
| Follow-up depth | None included | None included | 12-month programme | 12-month + long-term |
| In-house specialists for findings | No | No | Yes (12+) | Yes (12+) |
| Insurance billing | Limited | Limited | Cigna/CARPS/Allianz direct | Cigna/CARPS/Allianz direct |
What’s hidden in lower prices:
- “Single follow-up” usually means 10-minute physician phone call — not a structured workup
- “Comprehensive report” sometimes means PDF — not specialist consultation
- “Specialist available” can mean external referral with separate cost
Always ask: what happens if the scan finds something? That’s where price differences become meaningful.
Wait time, follow-up, specialist review
| Provider | First appointment availability | Follow-up speed if abnormal finding |
|---|---|---|
| Neko Health | Long waiting list (multi-month historically) | Patient referred externally for follow-up |
| Elfcare | Same week typically | External specialist referral |
| The Health Clinic | Same week (some next-day for members) | Internal specialist within 1–2 weeks |
If your scan finds something concerning (a mass, a structural abnormality, an unexpected biomarker), the speed and quality of follow-up is far more important than the speed of the original scan. This is where in-house specialist depth matters.
Should you do it once or annually
Honest answer:
- Once at 35–40 if you have no family history concerns and just want a baseline → reasonable. Repeat at 50.
- Once every 2–3 years if family history is moderate → reasonable.
- Annually if you have genuine cardiovascular, oncological, or metabolic risk factors → defensible.
- Annually for “longevity optimisation” without medical reason → diminishing returns. The interventions you do between scans (exercise, sleep, nutrition, biomarker management) drive the outcomes.
The marketing pressure to scan annually is heavier at consumer-tier clinics. The clinical case for annual full-body imaging in healthy adults is, frankly, weaker than the marketing implies.
When to choose Neko
- You want the cheapest possible entry into preventive screening
- You’re 30–45 and previously well
- Skin / mole detection is a priority
- You don’t need specialist follow-through
- You want the consumer-product experience
When to choose Elfcare
- You want a true MRI, hospital-grade
- You’re comfortable being one-and-done — bring findings to your own doctor
- 35,000 SEK is your price point
- You don’t need ongoing programme management
When to choose us
- You want imaging integrated with a 12-month programme of biomarkers, specialist consultations, and follow-up
- You have international insurance (Cigna, CARPS, Allianz) and want direct billing
- You want in-house specialists ready to investigate any finding
- You need English / multilingual care
- You’re an executive, embassy patient, or expat with longer-term healthcare needs in Stockholm
FAQ
Is full body MRI safe? Any radiation? MRI uses no ionising radiation — it’s based on magnetic resonance, not X-rays. Safe for repeated use. The main contraindications are metallic implants (pacemakers, cochlear implants, certain joint replacements) — disclose these at booking.
How accurate is full body MRI for cancer detection? Variable by cancer type. Brain, kidney, liver, ovarian, prostate masses — sensitivity is high. Lung, colon, skin, breast, hematological — sensitivity is lower or non-existent. It complements specialty screenings; it doesn’t replace them.
What if the scan finds something? Depends on the provider. At our clinic, an abnormal finding triggers a specialist consultation within 1–2 weeks (cardiologist if cardiac, urologist if prostate, etc.). Follow-up imaging or biopsy if indicated. We coordinate this internally.
Can I do this with Cigna or Allianz coverage? Yes for Health 360 and Health Optimize at our clinic. Pre-authorisation needed (we handle). Coverage depends on your specific plan tier — most international plans cover preventive imaging at provider tier 1.
Is it worth doing if I’m under 35? Marginal value. Major findings are rare in healthy under-35s. Better spend: structured biomarker panel (Health Baseline), exercise capacity testing, sleep study if symptoms.
Do I need contrast dye? Most full body screening protocols are non-contrast. Contrast (gadolinium-based) is added only for specific clinical indications, with risk-benefit discussion.
How long does the report take? Same-day verbal review for our protocols. Full written report with radiologist reading: 5–10 working days.
Can I get the raw images? Yes — DICOM files of your scan are yours. We provide them on request, useful if you change providers later.
*This article compares three competing providers based on publicly available information and our internal clinical assessment. The information about competitor offerings is accurate as of 27 April 2026 — pricing and protocols may change. Sources: European Society of Radiology — Full Body MRI Screening Guidelines 2024, Karolinska Hospital MRI department public protocols, Neko Health public pricing, Elfcare public pricing.*
See our full screening tiers and book without a referral. Compare Health Baseline / 360 / Optimize, or book a discovery call to discuss which fits your situation.
