Alzheimer's Blood Test - LucentAD pTau217
A blood test that measures p-Tau217, the protein marker most closely linked to Alzheimer's disease, to help find out whether Alzheimer's pathology is likely behind memory or thinking problems, without a lumbar puncture or PET scan. From £449 at one of 250+ Goodbody clinics or with a nurse at home, with the result reviewed by a Goodbody doctor. Results in 15 working days. For adults with memory or cognitive concerns.... Read more
A blood test that measures p-Tau217, the protein marker most closely linked to Alzheimer's disease, to help find out whether Alzheimer's pathology is likely behind memory or thinking problems, without a lumbar puncture or PET scan. From £449 at one of 250+ Goodbody clinics or with a nurse at home, with the result reviewed by a Goodbody doctor. Results in 15 working days. For adults with memory or cognitive concerns.
Key facts
- Price: from £449 with your own sample collection; £479 at a Goodbody clinic; £499 with a nurse home visit
- Measures: plasma p-Tau217 (phosphorylated tau 217), reported with the LucentAD algorithm as likely positive, likely negative or intermediate for Alzheimer's pathology
- For: adults experiencing memory or cognitive changes, people awaiting a specialist memory assessment, and those seeking a non-invasive alternative to lumbar puncture or PET; not a test for people without symptoms
- Result: a clinically meaningful positive or negative result in about 70 percent of people; the remainder receive an intermediate result and are advised on further assessment
- Sample: venous blood draw; no fasting
- Results: emailed within 15 working days with a doctor's report; a Goodbody GP is available to discuss them
Your questions answered
Is there a blood test for Alzheimer's, and is it available in the UK?
Yes. Blood tests measuring p-Tau217 have transformed Alzheimer's assessment since 2024, and the LucentAD p-Tau217 test is available now, privately, through Goodbody Clinic at 250+ locations across the UK and by nurse home visit. The NHS does not yet offer them routinely, so specialist diagnosis still relies on memory clinics, brain scans and, in some cases, lumbar puncture or PET scans, with long waits. This test gives you and your doctor an earlier indication of whether Alzheimer's pathology is likely.
What is p-Tau217?
Tau is a protein in brain cells. In Alzheimer's disease it becomes abnormally phosphorylated and forms tangles, and a specific form, tau phosphorylated at position 217, leaks into the blood in amounts that track the build-up of Alzheimer's pathology in the brain. Plasma p-Tau217 rises years before symptoms and correlates closely with amyloid and tau PET scans and spinal fluid tests, which is why it has become the leading blood marker for Alzheimer's. It is specific to Alzheimer's rather than to other causes of dementia.
Can a blood test detect Alzheimer's or dementia?
A blood test can now detect Alzheimer's pathology with accuracy comparable to spinal fluid tests, and p-Tau217 is the marker that does it best. It does not diagnose dementia: dementia is a clinical judgement about how memory and thinking are affecting daily life, made by a doctor with cognitive testing and history. What the blood test answers is whether Alzheimer's disease is likely to be the cause. Other causes of dementia, such as vascular disease, Lewy body disease or frontotemporal dementia, do not raise p-Tau217, so a negative result points the assessment elsewhere.
How accurate is the LucentAD p-Tau217 test?
In its validation studies the LucentAD algorithm gave a clinically meaningful result, likely positive or likely negative for Alzheimer's pathology, in around 70 percent of people, with accuracy comparable to cerebrospinal fluid testing and amyloid PET when compared against those reference standards. The remaining 30 percent fall in an intermediate zone where the result cannot confidently rule Alzheimer's in or out, and further assessment is advised. Like all biomarker tests it is most reliable in people with symptoms and should be interpreted by a clinician alongside a cognitive assessment.
Who should take an Alzheimer's blood test?
Adults who have noticed persistent changes in memory, thinking, language or judgement, or whose family has; people on a waiting list for a memory clinic who want earlier insight; people for whom a lumbar puncture or PET scan is unsuitable, unavailable or unaffordable; and clinicians supporting patients through assessment. It is not recommended for people without symptoms who are worried about future risk, because a positive result in someone with no symptoms cannot yet be acted on and may cause harm. Our GP can discuss whether the test is right for you before you book, if required.
What does a positive result mean?
That your p-Tau217 level indicates Alzheimer's pathology is likely present in the brain. In someone with memory symptoms this makes Alzheimer's disease the probable cause and is a strong reason to see a specialist memory service promptly, both for a formal diagnosis and because treatments and support are most effective early. It is not a diagnosis of dementia, and it does not predict how quickly symptoms will change. A Goodbody doctor explains the result and how to take it to your GP for referral.
What does a negative result mean?
That Alzheimer's pathology is unlikely to be the cause of your symptoms at the time of testing. That is important information: memory problems have many causes, including depression, sleep disorders, thyroid disease, vitamin B12 deficiency, medication and other forms of dementia, and a negative result redirects the assessment towards them. It does not mean you will never develop Alzheimer's, and it should not stop you seeking help for symptoms that persist. If your symptoms progress, the test can be repeated.
What does an intermediate result mean?
That your level sits in a zone where the test cannot confidently rule Alzheimer's pathology in or out; this happens in around 30 percent of people. Your report will say so and our doctor will advise on next steps, which may include repeating the test after an interval, or referral for standard assessment with scans or a lumbar puncture. An intermediate result is a limitation of the test, not a sign of something in between.
How does this compare with a lumbar puncture or PET scan?
Lumbar puncture measures the same proteins in spinal fluid and PET scans image amyloid and tau in the brain; both are accurate, both are invasive or expensive, both typically cost £3,000 or more privately, and NHS access involves long waits. p-Tau217 in blood tracks those reference tests closely enough that international diagnostic criteria now include blood biomarkers. Where the blood result is clear, it can avoid the need for the invasive test; where it is intermediate, the traditional tests remain available.
How much does an Alzheimer's blood test cost in the UK?
The LucentAD p-Tau217 test is from £449 with your own blood collection, £479 at one of 250+ Goodbody clinics or £499 with a nurse home visit, including laboratory analysis and a doctor's report, with a Goodbody GP available to discuss the result. That is a fraction of the £3,000 or more typically charged for a private PET scan or lumbar puncture.
How long do results take, and how is the sample taken?
A venous blood sample from the arm, with no fasting or preparation. Results are emailed within 15 working days of the sample reaching the laboratory, with a report stating likely positive, likely negative or intermediate for Alzheimer's pathology, and a doctor's explanation of what it means and what to do next.
How is Alzheimer's normally tested for?
A GP first rules out reversible causes with blood tests for thyroid, B12, folate, kidney and liver function and a full blood count, and does a brief memory test. Referral to a memory clinic follows, with detailed cognitive testing and a brain scan, and in some cases spinal fluid analysis or a PET scan to confirm Alzheimer's pathology. The p-Tau217 blood test is increasingly used at the stage where the question is whether Alzheimer's is the cause, and can shorten the path to a confident answer.
What happens next
Your result and doctor's report are emailed within 15 working days of your sample reaching the laboratory, stating whether Alzheimer's pathology is likely, unlikely or indeterminate at the time of testing, and what to do next. A Goodbody GP is available to talk it through and to write to your own GP for referral to a memory service where appropriate. All samples are analysed by an accredited laboratory.
Read lessCouldn't load pickup availability
What biomarkers do we test?
How our tests work
Book online...
Book online, receive your kit and take to your local Goodbody clinic.
Send it back…
Send your sample in the post to be analysed at an accredited laboratory.
Get results.
Get your comprehensive detailed results report from the laboratory, with guidance from our support team.
“Having access to this sophisticated, non-invasive blood test is a game-changer for early Alzheimer’s diagnosis in the UK. By simplifying diagnostics, we’re helping more patients access critical care sooner, especially as new therapies for early-stage Alzheimer’s are becoming available."
Available testing locations
Aberdeen Clinic GCI Advanced Aesthetics
Abergavenny Clinic Amatsu Centre
Airdrie Clinic Amiry & Gilbride Pharmacy
Aldershot Clinic Wellington Pharmacy
Alton Clinic Four Marks Pharmacy
Andover Clinic Dr Malaika Clinics
Anniesland Clinic Amiry & Gilbride Pharmacy
Arlesey Clinic Waterloo Farm Wellness
Armadale Clinic Dears Pharmacy
Ascot Clinic Ascot Pharmacy
AshbyDeLaZouch Clinic Aeternum Aesthetics
Ashford Clinic Breakspear Pharmacy
Aveley Clinic Doctor B Aesthetics
Aylesbury Clinic Aura Body Clinic
Aylesbury Clinic Pearlfect Care Pharmacy
Aylsham Clinic North Norfolk Ear & Skin Care
Ballingry Clinic
Barnet Clinic Co Wellbeing
Find More
More Information
Not sure if this test
is right for you?
Enquire via the form and a member of our team will get back to you, they are more than happy to help answer your questions and talk through the best option for you.
Contact us if you aren't sure, we'd be happy to help!
Register Your Interest
FAQs
PLACING AN ORDER
Which test should I choose?
How does the service work?
When will my order arrive?
How accurate are your tests?
I've just paid, can I change my order?
Can I order a test for someone else?
Why do I need a kit for my appointment?
How often should I take my test?
ARRANGING AN APPOINTMENT
How do I book an appointment?
How is the test carried out?
Do I need to fast before my test?
I am nervous about my blood test appointment.
Do I need to take my kit to my appointment?
AFTER YOUR TEST
My blood was haemolysed - what does that mean?
Do you provide results 7 days a week?
How do I book a follow up GP consultation?
We promise to deliver affordable testing to everybody.
When you’re worried about your health, life can feel very stressful, especially if you don’t have the answers you need. We believe that health testing should be available to all, giving you answers when and where you need them.
That’s why we’ve partnered with Splitit, Dopple and Clearpay so you can pay for your tests in interest-free instalments, if you prefer.
