The 3-Tesla Whole Body MRI scan is now available from 7th of August this year.
In recent years, this examination has become extremely popular among patients and we have received many inquiries regarding the procedure.
The Whole Body MRI scan is a great screening test because it does not expose the patient to radiation and additional contrast agents. The examination does not require any prior preparation and takes about 40 minutes. In this short time it is possible to visualize the tissues down from the head to the chest, abdominal cavity, pelvis, arms and thighs. However, the examination does not include the hands, shoulders and legs below thighs. It is important to highlight that the area examined during that procedure really depends on the height of the patient.
What can we detect with the “Whole Body MRI scan”?
We may get a preliminary assessment of the vascular system, images of bone lesions in bone marrow and tissues or we can help to diagnose rheumatic diseases and musculoskeletal traumas.
However, we would like to stress that this scan does not give 100% certainty that the patient is healthy – no diagnostic method can provide this level of certainty.
Although the results of this examination resemble those of a PET scan, the Whole Body MRI scan also has it’s own limitations. This is a general examination that will help detect larger tumor lesions (0.5 mm) and is very helpful in the diagnosis of bone lesions. In the initial stage of cancer development, it is unlikely that this scan will detect any newly developing lesions due to their small size.
It is worth noting that any possible abnormalities detected during the
Whole Body MRI scan will require further selective diagnostics during a more detailed ultrasound, X-ray, CT, PET scan or targeted MRI scan, possibly with a contrast agent.
In summary, the Whole Body MRI scan is a method of imaging most of the body without harmful effects and can be recommended to the patients who do not have any contraindications to MRI scans.
