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Are $2,500 MRI Scans Like the Ones Kim Kardashian and Kate Hudson Get Worth It for Your Health?

Are $2,500 MRI Scans Like the Ones Kim Kardashian and Kate Hudson Get Worth It for Your Health?

Are $2,500 MRI Scans Like the Ones Kim Kardashian and Kate Hudson Get Worth It for Your Health?
Are $2,500 MRI Scans Like the Ones Kim Kardashian and Kate Hudson Get Worth It for Your Health?
(PC: Instagram)

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kate Hudson are getting $2,500 full-body MRI scans to check for over 500 diseases. 

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With rising cancer rates in the US, particularly among younger people, companies offering these services claim the hefty price tags are justified. However, experts are skeptical about their effectiveness, warning that these scans—often not covered by insurance—may be exploiting the health fears of today's wellness-focused populations. 

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Prenuvo, a leading health startup offering these MRIs, asserts that their scans can detect cancer and other chronic diseases long before symptoms appear. Promoted by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Cindy Crawford, Prenuvo has been described as 'lifesaving.' Dr. Daniel Durand, a radiologist and Prenuvo's chief medical officer, said, "We’re trying to give people the opportunity to be more proactive about their health." 

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Kardashian shared on Instagram that the scans have saved lives, but experts caution that the technology might not be necessary for healthy individuals without symptoms. MRI, which stands for magnetic resonance imaging, uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of the body's internal structures without radiation. Typically used to diagnose cancer, brain injuries, and other conditions, full-body scans can take over an hour with patients lying motionless inside a cylindrical tube.

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Experts generally recommend routine full-body scans only for high-risk groups, such as those with a significant genetic predisposition to cancer. Dr. Ernest Hawk of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center noted, "MRIs are great for what they're typically used for. But moving them earlier into an average risk population raises unanswered questions." Dr. Mina Makary from Ohio State Wexner Medical Center added that the likelihood of finding a serious issue in symptom-free individuals is low, and false positives can lead to unnecessary stress, additional tests, and even surgeries. 

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There's also concern that people undergoing these scans might neglect other routine exams like mammograms. The American College of Radiology does not endorse MRI screening for asymptomatic individuals, citing a lack of evidence for its cost-efficiency or life-prolonging effectiveness. Moreover, the FDA has not approved MRI machines for preventive screening, though doctors may use them at their discretion. Dr. Stuart Fischer, an internal medicine physician, emphasized, "This is not an appropriate screening tool for a multiplicity of human illnesses and potentially emergent conditions." 

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He noted that MRIs cannot detect many prevalent conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Prenuvo plans to screen 100,000 people and track their health over time, with the study expected to conclude by 2034. Participants will generally pay a $2,200 fee, but future academic or government studies may offer similar opportunities without out-of-pocket costs. Dr. Hawk suggested that participating in research could be a better approach to finding out whether such screenings are beneficial. "But doing so outside of a study makes no sense," he concluded.

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