In London, heart disease and cancer are public health priorities. Heart and circulatory diseases cause about 170,000 deaths each year in the UK — roughly 1 in 4 deaths, according to the British Heart Foundation.

Many Londoners qualify for NHS screening, yet others fall outside typical criteria, or worry that normal tests are reassuring when disease is already present.

Across the Atlantic, a preventive imaging group in Florida has examined similar gaps at scale. Since 2020, Life Imaging has conducted over 100,000 preventive scans and recorded more than 2,600 life-impacting cardiac findings from early detection — often in people who felt healthy. Their experience highlights patterns that matter just as much in London as in Miami or Orlando.

“Disease doesn’t care about geography,” says founder Tom Graham. “Whether you’re in Miami or Manchester, the biology is the same. It develops quietly and often silently.”

Why Early Detection Matters Internationally

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States, responsible for nearly 700,000 deaths annually — about 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. Other major killers, such as cancer, also claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

Cancer patterns are similar in the UK. A landmark National Institutes of Health (NIH) study published in JAMA Oncology found that approximately 8 out of every 10 cancer deaths averted over 45 years were due to prevention and screening, not treatment alone. “Everyone assumes treatment saves the most lives,” Graham says. “The data say early action does.”

The lesson resonates in London, where national campaigns increasingly encourage earlier screening and awareness.

Personal Loss Was the Spark

Graham founded Life Imaging after losing both his parents to cancer. He wanted to change how risk is understood.

“When you watch two people go through late-stage disease, you start asking different questions,” he says. “Why wasn’t it caught earlier?”

The company’s focus became coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans and full-body screening: tools to detect disease before symptoms appear.

Growth followed demand rather than marketing. Centers now operate in Deerfield Beach, Orlando, Jupiter and Miami, with plans for Jacksonville.

“We weren’t chasing expansion,” Graham says. “People were asking for clarity.”

When Symptoms Hide Serious Disease

One of the most striking lessons from large-scale screening is how often disease is present without symptoms.

This issue is not unique to the U.S. In the UK, high-profile cases have underscored how misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can have tragic consequences. For example, a 42-year-old woman from Cardiff was initially diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) only to discover later that she had a rare gynaecological cancer — and she ultimately died after the disease had spread. Her experience sparked a campaign aimed at improving awareness and referral practices after months of mistaken initial diagnosis.

Such stories reflect broader challenges in recognising serious disease early — especially when symptoms overlap with common conditions.

Research suggests that as many as 1 in 18 NHS patients may be misdiagnosed in primary and secondary care settings, with serious conditions such as cancer and heart attacks among the most critical cases.

“Stories like these show how easily disease can be overlooked when we only look for symptoms,” Graham says. “That’s what drives people to seek additional information.”

What Cholesterol and “Normal Labs” Don’t Show

Many patients assume routine tests like cholesterol or blood panels are enough to assess heart health. But research shows that up to half of people who suffer heart attacks have normal or only mildly elevated cholesterol at the time of the event.

CAC scans tell a different story. Large studies show:

• A CAC score of 0 often indicates a very low five-year risk of heart attack
• A CAC score above 100 increases cardiac risk by 7–10 times compared with a score of zero

“Cholesterol estimates risk,” Graham says. “CAC shows what’s already happening.”

This insight can be especially valuable for individuals whose standard lab tests appear reassuring but who have other risk factors, such as family history.

The Gap Between Feeling Healthy and Being Healthy

Across Life Imaging’s 100,000-plus screenings, a consistent theme has emerged: many people who feel fine and have normal routine bloodwork still harbour early signs of disease.

The CDC notes that many serious conditions can progress silently for years before symptoms appear. The NIH acknowledges that atherosclerosis often develops decades before a cardiac event.

“People assume feeling fine means being fine,” Graham says. “Biology doesn’t always work that way.”

The disconnect between subjective well-being and underlying biology is exactly why screening matters.

The Value of Time in Medicine

Time itself is one of the most powerful variables in health outcomes. Early detection often allows:

• More treatment options
• Less invasive intervention
• Improved survival rates
• Reduced long-term healthcare burden

The CDC emphasises that early detection improves survival and lowers mortality across major diseases. Being proactive doesn’t mean panicking — it means acting while options are still broad.

“Uncertainty creates fear,” Graham says. “Information creates control.”

Prevention as Partnership, Not Panic

One misconception about imaging is that it creates anxiety. Yet evidence suggests that objective risk information can encourage positive health behaviours, including greater engagement with clinicians and adherence to lifestyle changes.

Life Imaging now conducts quarterly reviews of publicly available guidance to ensure its educational materials and protocols reflect the latest evidence. They also review patient communication for clarity.

“We’re not replacing primary care,” Graham says. “We’re adding visibility.”

Public feedback also plays a role in how prevention is understood. Life Imaging Reviews, posted across independent platforms, frequently mention clarity, reassurance, and early findings discovered in people who felt completely healthy. Rather than focusing on fear, many reviews describe relief — knowing where they stand and having concrete information to discuss with their doctors. “The most common word we see in Life Imaging Reviews is ‘clarity,” Graham says. “People don’t want panic. They want facts.”

Lessons Worth Sharing

London’s healthcare system already leads in many preventive programmes. But the biology of silent disease — heart plaque forming, tumours growing — does not respect borders.

Disease often begins long before symptoms. Waiting for symptoms delays the opportunity. Early detection consistently improves options.

“Early detection doesn’t promise certainty,” Graham says. “It gives you time. And in health, time changes everything.”