Full-body scans, an unnecessary evil?

Kim Kardashian recently underwent a new full-body MRI scan which claims to be ‘life-saving’, and has promoted the procedure. But medical experts have questioned the wisdom of exposing the general public to such technology.

Posting a picture of herself posing in scrubs in front of the equipment, the reality star wrote, “The Prenuvo full-body scan has the ability to detect cancer and diseases such as aneurysms in its earliest stages, before symptoms arise. It was like getting a MRI for an hour with no radiation.” [sic]. The procedure had “really saved some of my friends lives,” Kardashian added.

But experts have flayed her for promoting the $ 2,500 scan. Whole-body scans are generally not recommended for people who are asymptomatic because there is insufficient evidence of their effectiveness. “Prenuvo scans have not been subjected to clinical trials, and typically screening asymptomatic people with imaging leads to more harm (via false positives) than benefits (via true positives),” wrote Dr. Tyler Black, a psychiatrist and pharmacologist in Canada, on Twitter.

Padmashree Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale, the first surgeon to successfully perform heart transplant surgery in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, is categoric that full-body scans are unnecessary for healthy people and can have negative effects in addition to positive ones. “I recommend lifestyle changes first to maintain good health; tests that are easily available at a low cost, such as those for diabetes, and hypertension, and the PAP smear, and TMT etc. will help too. Keep specialised exams like MRIs and CT angiographies for specific circumstances,” he says. “These tests, if administered to everyone, will be difficult to access by those in desperate need of them,” he explains. “It would put enormous strain on the system.”  

Is the MRI necessary

It is the man behind machine but not just the machine which is important, feels Padmashree Dr Manjula Anagani, Clinical Director and HoD Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Care Hospitals. “It’s not always possible to detect early cancers. The best course of action is a routine annual physical examination and health checkup by a doctor, rather than spending money on unnecessary tests and expensive equipment. Early cervical cancer can be detected in PAP tests before they manifest in MRIs and other tests,” says Dr Manjula, adding, “Due to their high sensitivity, MRI scans are more likely to detect conditions that superficially appear abnormal but are not.”

Physicians have also called out Kardashian for spreading misinformation about MRIs. In her post, she claims the Prenuvo scan ‘was like getting a MRI [sic] for an hour with no radiation.’ However, regular MRI scans don’t use radiation.

Flip side

On the other hand, some studies have found that full-body scans could catch early signs of cancer and other health problems in some patients. And if people decide to spend their money on such tests, Dr. K Subba Reddy,  Critical Care Specialist, Apollo Health City, doesn’t see the point in stopping them. He believes that interest in the scans is a sign that people are interested in preventative medicine.

“Prenuvo scans are full-body MRIs used to look for conditions like spinal degeneration, aneurysms, some types of cancer, and benign tissue growth in areas of the body like the kidneys, the brain, and abdominal organs. The use of MRI in the diagnosis of neurological conditions, spinal cord injuries, brain infections, acute strokes, cardiac viability, soft tissue infections, and sports-related soft tissue injuries is very beneficial. It is a crucial diagnosis method used in hospitals for many conditions,” according to Dr. Subba  Reddy.

Safety concerns

While an MRI scan is not something to be feared, there should be awareness of safety issues  because it does not suit everyone. Dr. Subba Reddy cautions that just because an MRI doesn’t use ionising radiation like X-rays or CT scans, it doesn’t mean it’s ‘risk-free.’

* Some people suffer from claustrophobia, and because an MRI console is a small, enclosed space, it could pose problems. Anaesthesia is necessary for these patients, but it has risks.

* MRI scans cannot be performed on people with cardiac pacemakers, implantable infusion pumps, cochlear implants, intracranial aneurysm clips, some iron-based implants, some intrauterine contraceptive devices, neuro stimulators and prosthetic devices.

People with bullets, surgical metallic clips, plates, screws and metallic implants in their bodies cannot undergo MRI scans either.

* Pregnant women should inform physicians about their condition because  MRI can generate heat in the intrauterine amniotic fluid.

* Rarely, MRIs can cause heat related injuries.

* MRI contrast dyes could cause problems in people with kidney disease and pregnant ladies. In rare cases, they can cause a dangerous hypersensitivity reaction.