Are Full-Body MRIs Beneficial?
January 23, 2024
Full-body MRIs are a new trend that celebrities are taking part in, but should you get one.
The 3T MRI at Mercy Medical Center doesn't require any radiation and can image multiple organs at once. But getting a full-body MRI can also cause a false sense of reassurance. So, patients still need to get standard screenings done.
"These MRI scans cannot detect all disease processes and all types of tumors," said Mercy radiologist Dr. Neelum Mittal who is board certified in Diagnostic Radiology. "It's not great for detecting thyroid tumors, or breast cancer, or cervical cancer. It's not great for picking up polyps or cancers of the GI tract, like esophagus, stomach or the bowel."
Dr. Mattel also noted that these types of scans are usually not covered by insurance and can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500.
View Mercy radiologist Dr. Neelum Mittal's interview about full-body MRI.
About Mercy
Founded in 1874 in Downtown Baltimore by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a 183-licensed bed, acute care, university-affiliated teaching hospital. Mercy has been recognized as a high-performing Maryland hospital (U.S. News & World Report); has achieved an overall 5-Star quality, safety, and patient experience rating (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services); is A-rated for Hospital Safety (Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade); and is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Magnet™ hospital. Mercy Health Services is a not-for-profit health system and the parent company of Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Personal Physicians.
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