The failure of early detection can be due to many reasons, including a lack of effective screening tests, lack of support for the widespread use of current screening technologies, or lack of access to these services. Some diseases, such as endometriosis, ovarian and pancreatic cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease, have had no effective screening tests and are often not diagnosed until much later in the disease process. Others, such as brain or aortic aneurysms, uterine fibroids, gallstones, and cancers of the bone, liver, or kidney can be detected by currently available imaging, but these are not part of the standard recommendations.
In a healthcare system that generally prioritizes disease diagnosis over disease prevention, this failure to adopt a proactive approach is not surprising. While enabling early intervention through prevention and early detection strategies is often cost-effective in the long run, it is often more resource-intensive in the short run. Changing this on a global level requires a different mindset and reorganization of resources. It also requires innovative ways of thinking and creating potential solutions.
These advances now make it possible to evaluate predispositions to health issues and create a customized plan for proactive health for each woman. An equally important part of this strategy is regularly assessing how well these strategies are working. Advancements in lab technologies have made it possible to do in-depth analyses of most aspects of our genetics, epigenetics, biochemistry, and molecular functioning.
However, this “micro” view doesn’t tell everything. We also need to take a “macro” view to screen for masses or other structural abnormalities. Imaging is designed to do just that, and we now have advanced technologies that have expanded our capabilities to see inside our bodies in incredible detail. But, as with lab tests, the conventional model of waiting until someone has symptoms and then only evaluating that specific body part has limited their use for early detection screening. In part, this is due to concerns over unnecessary radiation exposure. Ultrasound and MRI have no radiation and thus are safer options for repeated whole-body screenings. But neither of these was a viable option until recently.
Diagnostic MRI scans are not necessarily the most comfortable and can often induce anxiety both in the anticipation and in the actual experience. I was curious to see how Prenuvo compared and was pleasantly surprised.
The online registration process included a lengthy health questionnaire. I had not anticipated this and so was not prepared. When I realized there were more questions than I could answer in the time I had allotted for this, I was afraid I would have to start all over again. I was relieved to find that all my answers were autosaved and that I could complete the form over more than one login session. As a point of improvement, it would have been helpful to have received some initial instructions on what information I would need and the approximate time for completion.
March 5, 2024 - On the day of my MRI, the reception area was warm and well-lit - a beautiful contrast to the gray winter day outside. The atmosphere was more like that of a spa than a medical office, and the staff was very courteous, friendly, and attentive. I was brought to the changing room which was beautifully designed and appointed to anticipate my every need. This attention to detail again spoke to how Prenuvo is not just a place to get an MRI, but also values supporting wellness overall.
I was surprised at how comfortable the MRI was. I have had conventional MRIs in the past, and they have felt small and cramped, even a bit claustrophobic. This MRI bed was a little larger, and that made a big difference. It was well-padded, and the technician spent time making sure I was comfortable. She also checked in with me throughout the scan to ensure I was still doing ok. The choice of music or videos was appreciated, and the automated instructions throughout the MRI were clear and very helpful in knowing what was coming next – including how long to hold my breath for some parts of it.
After my MRI was completed, I was not rushed out to make room for the next patient. Instead, snacks and drinks were available, and I was encouraged to take my time to replenish after having fasted for several hours. I left there feeling well taken care of. While I was informed that I would be getting my results through my personal dashboard, the process to set this up could be improved by handling this as part of the preparation or in automated emails in the day or two following the MRI.
I appreciated the opportunity to review my scans and results with their designated radiologist. While it’s more accessible to do this as a physician myself, it’s also a level of service available to anyone who gets a Prenuvo MRI scan. This is another element that speaks to a well-thought-out process designed to help people feel knowledgeable and empowered. I think that this is especially valuable for people who don’t have a healthcare provider who is familiar with the whole-body MRI concept or want to be able to have a more personalized experience.
FINDING HIDDEN RISKS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE
Any time someone undergoes any testing, there is always an element of fear of the unknown for what might be detected. We all experience this to some extent, but for some people, it prevents them from taking action. It’s important to understand that ignorance is not bliss. These things are going on in your body, whether you are aware of them or not. Being able to reframe this fear into self-empowerment is important. It doesn’t mean your fear goes away; it just means you can move through it and take action anyway. And that action may very well save your life.
For those who want to be proactive in their health, I see the full-body Prenuvo MRI as a great addition to existing tools for early detection. It fills a much-needed gap for learning more about one’s body and catching any potential issues while they are still easily addressed.
TECH TALK: PRENUVO'S UNIQUE APPROACH TO WB-MRI MRI technology has now matured over the past 20-years where we can actually effectively perform diagnostic-quality WB-MRI. Via careful MRI protocol design and optimization, we have developed a specialized WB-MRI focused screening service that has been of significant clinical utility to our patients and referring-clinician colleagues.  What makes our approach different from traditional MRI approaches, which typically rely primarily on more anatomically-focused imaging, is that we also combine this with an important specialized functional-focused MRI-technique known as Diffusion-Weighted-Imaging (DWI) covering the whole body. DWI has been clinically-demonstrated to play a very valuable role particularly in oncological-imaging; and, in the screening setting DWI significantly enhances our ability to discriminate oncologically-concerning lesions from benign lesions. DWI can be thought of as an MRI-analogue to PET-imaging (whereas PET highlights hypermetabolism of cancerous tissue, DWI highlights hypercellular-density or “tissue hardness” characteristic of cancerous tissue).  MRI SCREENING vs HOSPITAL CONVENTION- Prenuvo scans capture 2000 images in 28 areas in under an hour at diagnostic quality, with 1B+ data points acquired, compared to the 4-5 hours it would take through conventional MRI. Conventional MRIs also use pre-programmed protocols that are not optimized for whole-body speed capture without compromising diagnostic quality. We've taken a different approach and verticalized our hardware and designed software acquisition protocols for whole-body diagnostic yield in under one hour. |
THE FULL-BODY STRATEGY FOR CANCER SCANNING
After a cancer is detected, patients often go into a panic asking "What stage is it? ... Is it metastatic?" Working with the conventional MRI or CT of the past, they would have to wait to get a brain MRI, then a chest, abdomen, pelvis study and a bone scan etc. With our technology, we already have all that. We've routinely found people with stage one cancer as part of early detection. This is a good basis where you want to find it. From here, searching 'full body' is the best next step to make sure that it's not anywhere else in the body. Using an MRI with diffusion, we can see it all.
