Whole-Body MRI for Cancer Screening

What if I Got a Whole-Body MRI?

Fred Hutch and UW Medicine radiologists do not provide reinterpretations of whole-body MRIs. If you’ve had a whole-body MRI screening and have a question or concern about the results, contact your primary care provider or UW Medicine Primary Care about next steps.

For cancer screenings or cancer care at Fred Hutch, request an appointment.

Around the country, some imaging facilities are offering healthy people the option to have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of their entire body. The goal is to look for hidden signs of disease, including cancer, before symptoms appear.

At Fred Hutch Cancer Center, we know screenings are an important part of preventing cancer or detecting it early. We focus on using effective, proven methods — which is why we don’t offer or recommend whole-body MRI. Our radiologists don’t provide an official reinterpretation of a whole-body MRI scan done at other facilities.

Why Not Whole-Body MRI?

So far, research has not shown that whole-body MRI is good at finding cancer early. There’s no strong evidence that whole-body MRI screening improves cancer survival or other health outcomes in people without symptoms. And different whole-body MRI providers use different techniques. So, it can be difficult to interpret the images.

If you’re thinking of having a whole-body MRI, here are some things to consider:
 

Incidental Findings

MRIs are extremely sensitive. While this might seem like a good thing, it isn’t always. MRIs can show harmless spots, nodules, cysts or other abnormalities that won’t cause a health problem and don’t need treatment. But findings like these can be alarming, prompting people to see specialists and get unnecessary follow-up tests or procedures that can carry risks. Along with taking your time and money, the process can be stressful and may create unnecessary anxiety.

False Positives

In medicine, a false positive means a test or scan shows a condition is present when it really isn’t. For instance, a whole-body MRI may reveal a tumor that is benign (not cancer) but is mistaken for cancer at first. Like incidental findings, false positives can create anxiety and cost you time and money. They can sometimes lead to additional services—sometimes even surgeries—which have their own risks, side effects and/or complications.

False Negatives

Whole-body MRIs may not be the best way to detect actual cancers. So, you could get an “all-clear,” or a “negative” result, that’s actually false. The accuracy can depend on the protocol, or how the scan is done. Consider the example of breast cancer screening. Whole-body MRI facilities typically place you face up and don’t use intravenous contrast (dye that’s usually needed for breast cancer to show up in the scan). When we do a breast MRI at Fred Hutch, patients lie face down and get contrast for clearer results.

High Out-of-Pocket Cost

An MRI of the entire body is expensive, often costing thousands of dollars. Unless there is a medical reason to get one, medical insurance usually won’t cover it. So, you’ll likely pay full price for results that may not mean much for your health. The good news is that insurance often does cover proven cancer screening methods, depending on your age or other risk factors. You have reliable ways to get screened for some cancers without such a high price tag.

 

Key Research Findings

Research shows that whole-body MRIs detect actual cancers in only 1% to 2% of adults screened this way.1,2

“But we don’t know if those cancers would have been clinically significant — that is, if they ever would have caused a problem for the person or required treatment,” said radiologist Brian N. Dontchos, MD. For example, many older men have prostate cancer, but without a scan or specific testing they might never know because it isn’t affecting their health in any harmful way.

A review of 12 studies of patients having a whole-body MRI found that 95% of them had at least one “abnormal finding.” But 91% of these findings were not relevant.1 Results of one small study showed that incidental findings from whole-body MRI would have led to dozens of visits to specialists such as urologists, rheumatologists, otorhinolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat physicians), gynecologists and others.3

"People may hope the scan will find nothing and that will be reassuring, which I understand. Unfortunately, most whole-body MRIs generate incidental findings. Though most of these are not relevant, they may require additional workup and can heighten and prolong anxiety."

— Brian N. Dontchos, MD, Radiologist

Recommended Cancer Screening Methods

For most people with no symptoms, the best way to detect cancer early is to get targeted screenings that are tailored to your risk level and backed by scientific evidence. Recommended screenings include:

There are rare situations when whole-body MRI for cancer screening might make sense — for example, in people with certain genetic conditions that raise the risk for tumors in more than one part of the body, like Li-Fraumeni syndrome or neurofibromatosis.

To find out which cancer screenings are right for you, talk with your primary care provider or reach out to the UW Medicine virtual care team.

Fred Hutch has special programs to prevent and detect cancer in people at high risk, such as the following:
 

Breast and Ovarian Cancer Prevention Clinic

The Breast and Ovarian Cancer Prevention Clinic is for people at higher risk for breast or gynecological cancers. We help reduce your risk by making personalized prevention and early detection surveillance plans for you.

Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program

If genetic testing shows you are at high risk for a gastrointestinal cancer, our team at the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program can expertly assess, screen and monitor you in order to reduce that risk.

Hematologic Malignancy Genetics Clinic

At the Hematologic Malignancy Genetics Clinic, we help patients understand their genetic risk for blood cancers or other blood disorders. We also recommend follow-up care for those at higher risk due to family history.

High Risk Surveillance Clinic

Knowing you’re at high risk for cancer empowers you to manage your risk more actively. The High Risk Surveillance Clinic offers a personalized approach to managing your cancer risk while supporting your overall health.

Sources

1. Zugni F, Padhani AR, Koh DM, Summers PE, Bellomi M, Petralia G. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) for cancer screening in asymptomatic subjects of the general population: review and recommendations. Cancer Imaging. 2020;20(1):34. doi:10.1186/s40644-020-00315-0.
2. Petralia G, Zugni F, Summers PE, Colombo A, Pricolo P, Grazioli L, Colagrande S, Giovagnoni A, Padhani AR; Italian Working Group on Magnetic Resonance. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) for cancer screening: recommendations for use. Radiol Med. 2021;126(11):1434–1450. doi:10.1007/s11547-021-01392-2.
3. Tarnoki DL, Tarnoki AD, Richter A, Karlinger K, Berczi V, Pickuth D. Clinical value of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in health screening of general adult population. Radiol Oncol. 2015;49(1):10–6. doi:10.2478/raon-2014-0031.