The Neko Body Scan, developed by Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek, offers a cutting-edge health service for those seeking a comprehensive check-up. For £299 and less than an hour of your time, this AI-driven full-body scan, available only in London and Stockholm, promises to transform how we approach healthcare by detecting potential health risks early on.
Ek, whose innovations have reshaped the music industry, is now setting his sights on healthcare. He aims to rebuild it from the ground up, using modern technologies rather than relying on the fragmented methods that have dominated for decades.
Neko’s co-founder and CEO, Hjalmar Nilsonne, explains: “Since 70% of healthcare costs are linked to chronic diseases, which are largely preventable or can be significantly delayed with early intervention, it’s clear that the healthcare system we all need is one focused on prevention. Rather than being a system that dispenses medicine to those already unwell, it should help create and maintain health.”
“The idea was simple: we needed to create a new category of medical device that could gather people’s medical information cheaply and conveniently. From there, we could start tracking changes over time.”
The Neko scan is a noninvasive, preventative health check that provides a detailed snapshot of your current health. The goal is to detect risks before they become serious. Using a combination of high-resolution 2D and 3D imaging, thermal scans, and advanced cardiovascular measurements, the system assesses how blood flows through the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries.
In addition to cardiovascular health, the scan checks for skin abnormalities, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and more, including measurements of grip strength and eye pressure. A small blood sample is taken and sent to a lab for processing, and results are available quickly.
The scan utilises 70 sensors to capture over 50 million data points from the body in minutes. AI processes these data points and reviews them with an in-house GP, who delivers a comprehensive health assessment within 15 minutes.
During your personalised consultation, the doctor will walk you through your results, answering any questions about your health. You’ll also gain access to a summary of your health data via an app, allowing you to track your health over time and make informed decisions.
Data from Neko’s first year of operation in Stockholm, where 2,707 people aged 22 to 75 were scanned, revealed that 14% of individuals required further medical attention or monitoring for previously unaware conditions. In 1% of cases, patients underwent life-saving interventions, such as surgery for aortic aneurysms and treatment for malignant melanomas.
Nilsonne shared one story: “We identified a cardiovascular anomaly in one gentleman. After an ultrasound confirmed a significant issue, he was referred to a cardiologist and had surgery within two weeks. Under normal circumstances, he might have waited six to nine months.”
Expert Opinions and Considerations
Professor Louise Thomas, head of the University of Westminster’s Research Centre for Optimal Health, emphasised the potential of these scans: “Early diagnosis is vital and could significantly reduce the burden on the NHS. However, it’s crucial to understand the full methodology behind these scans, especially the AI models and datasets used.”
Professor Azeem Majeed, a GP and public health expert at Imperial College London, remarked that the Neko Body Scan was more advanced than the NHS Health Check programme, which screens those aged 40 to 74 for common disease risks. While Neko offers a more comprehensive range of tests, evaluating its long-term impact is essential.
Neko Health has been dedicated to research and development since 2018. It strongly believes that technology will play a pivotal role in shifting healthcare toward a preventative approach. Nilsonne commented, “In the UK, you’re required to perform an MOT on your car, yet we often wait until our bodies break down before seeking medical attention.”
Conditions Detected by Neko Body Scan
The Neko Body Scan detects a range of conditions, including:
Cardiovascular Health:
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Atherosclerosis
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
• Arrhythmias (e.g., Atrial Fibrillation, Ventricular Tachycardia)
• Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome
• Heart Block and Bundle Branch Block
• Myocardial Infarction
Structural Heart and Vascular Disease:
• Heart Failure
• Valvular Heart Disease
• Cardiomyopathy
• Aortic Aneurysm
Body:
• Anaemia
• Diabetes and Prediabetes
• High Cholesterol
• Immune System Disorders
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Ocular Hypertension
• Varicose Veins
Skin:
• Skin Cancer (including melanoma)
• Precancerous Skin Conditions
• Psoriasis, Eczema, Rosacea
• Fungal and Bacterial Infections
With such an extensive list of conditions detected, the Neko Body Scan offers a proactive approach to healthcare, potentially catching life-threatening conditions before symptoms appear.
