‘Buyer beware’ of whole-body MRI scans, cautions Scott Reeder in prominent op-ed
As health-conscious consumers seek elective whole-body MRI scans, UW Department of Radiology Chair Scott Reeder, MD, PhD contends that this latest medical trend is not recommended and not worth the risk. He and co-author Matthew Davenport, MD, MBA from University of Michigan outlined their case in “Elective MRI Screening of the General Public—Buyer Beware,” an op-ed published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
“It is intuitive to assume that early detection always improves health. But this assumption is incorrect,” Drs. Reeder and Davenport write in the op-ed. “The key to effective screening is not simply detection. It is detection of important disease within a window in which early intervention creates a better outcome than if the disease had never been detected.”
Drs. Reeder Davenport explain that the evidence for using whole-body MRIs to improve health or reduce mortality from diseases like cancer is unproven. Also, these elective scans can increase the risks of complications from unnecessary follow-up procedures.
“People have the right to make informed decisions about their health. If you are considering buying this test, our advice is buyer beware,” they write. “You may lose more than just your money.”
The op-ed prompted coverage on the topic by media outlets including ABC News and Radiology Business. ABC News did a segment as well as the article, “Full-body MRI scans are selling reassurance doctors say they can’t deliver.” Radiology Business covered it in the article, “Radiologists speak out against whole-body MRI screening in prominent editorial.”