Prenuvo Review - What Makes it Different to other Full Body MRI Scans?

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are diagnostic tools that capture detailed images of various body structures, organs, and tissues.

These scans provide a comprehensive view of the body, allowing for the detection and evaluation of abnormalities or diseases in different regions.

Whole-body MRI scans can be used to:

Screen for cancers
Evaluate musculoskeletal disorders
Assess vascular abnormalities (such as aneurysms)
Detect various conditions

Whilst they’ve been around for a while, they’ve gathered attention as more and more high-profile figures use and discuss them.

Kim Kardashian shares on Instagram that she used Prenuvo

Table of Contents

Who are Prenuvo?

Prenuvo is a healthcare company that specializes in full-body MRI scans with a focus on early detection and comprehensive health insights.

The company aims to transform the medical paradigm from reactive to proactive – providing people with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health.

Prenuvo was founded by Dr. Rajpaul Attariwala, a dual board-certified radiologist and nuclear medicine physician with a PhD in biomedical engineering. Thanks to his engineering and medical knowledge, he was able to customize the current approach, providing a more efficient, accurate and accessible technology for early cancer detection.

Prenuvo Co-founders; Dr. Attariwala & Andrew Lacy pose with Paris Hilton – source

Traditional MRI is often slow, expensive, and impractical for screening due to its time-consuming nature. Prenuvo has developed unique protocols, enabling them to perform whole-body MRI scans in a single sitting in just 60-75 minutes. Capturing up to 10 times more images than other MRI scans.

Prenuvo uses innovative techniques such as multiparametric imaging, combining anatomical and functional imaging sequences across the entire body in a single session.

The company describes it as applying principles of nuclear imaging within the context of radiology, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment.

Paris Hilton shares her use of Prenuvo on Instagram. She explains that her grandmother passed away from breast cancer, and thus wants to be proactive with her health.

According to the company’s website, people use Prenuvo’s MRI scans for:

Early disease detection
Healthy aging monitoring
Screening for genetically predisposed cancers and disorders
Cancer treatment and remission monitoring
Diagnosing unexplained pain
Discovering necessary lifestyle changes

How MRI Scans Work

Before we dig any deeper into the details behind Prenuvo, it may be worthwhile first touching on how MRI scans work.

First, the scanner creates a strong magnetic field to align hydrogen atoms in the body.
Then, it sends brief radiofrequency pulses causing these atoms to absorb the energy and move into a higher energy state.
When these pulses end, the hydrogen atoms return to their lower energy state, emitting radiowaves in the process.
The MRI machine detects these radiowaves to create images.
So in essence, it’s charging up the hydrogen atoms, and then acting as a detector for their emitted electromagnetic waves.

In this way, the MRI machine collects a series of images from different body planes and creates a three-dimensional representation. A radiologist analyzes these images to assess the condition of internal structures and identify any abnormalities.

Perhaps this visual explanation is helpful:

The physics of how an MRI machine works – source

Miranda Kerr (model) shares on Instagram that she used Prenuvo for a health check-up

What Sets Prenuvo Apart?

Here are some of the things that make Prenuvo’s whole-body MRI scans unique:

Sequences and Filters

A 2019 meta-analysis established that 16% of people received false-positive findings on their whole-body MRI scans. That means the scans detected something suspicious, but further investigation revealed it to be harmless.

These false-positive results can cause emotional stress and anxiety, and result in unnecessary invasive procedures. That’s why Prenuvo uses an extensive set of filters, ensuring a low false-positive rate.

Prenuvo performs a comprehensive set of protocols, such as:

Arterial assessment
Fat quantification
Brain quantification
Cancer screening
Spinal screening

Their protocol is based on a unique set of sequences, including T1-weighted, T2-weighted, fat-suppressed, non-fat-suppressed, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) techniques. Although this may not mean much to a regular person, the important thing is that these sequences help provide comprehensive diagnostic imaging.

Tesla Magnet Strength

Most commercially available MRI scanners use magnets that are 1.5T strong, but some new models use 3T and stronger magnets.

A higher magnetic strength does not necessarily equate to better screening and diagnosis. The choice between 1.5T and 3T depends on factors such as the type of organs being imaged, patient safety and comfort, and imaging quality.

Although a 3T MRI may be ideal for small field-of-view imaging, such as the brain and small joints, it is not suitable for whole-body imaging due to wavelength interference and increased artifacts.

Bigger isn’t always better, comparison of 1.5T vs 3T magnets – source

That’s why Prenuvo uses customized 1.5T magnets for whole-body MRI scans, which produces better quality images in the torso, where 95% of cancers and most diseases are found.

As the magnet moves hydrogen atoms, it increases your body temperature. A stronger magnet heats you more, making the scan more uncomfortable.

Lastly, a 1.5T magnet is considered safer for patients with metallic implants or devices, such as pacemakers and hearing devices.

Singer Rita Ora, whose Mother has a history of breast cancer, shared on Instagram that she used Prenuvo for a check-up

Image Quality and Quantity

During an MRI at Prenuvo, the machine takes up to 2,000 high-quality images of your body’s structures. A higher quantity provides a more detailed view, and Prenuvo’s technology captures up to 10 times more images than some other whole-body MRIs.

Image quality and quantity enable better scan results with more details. That allows Prenuvo to scan for a wider array of conditions compared to their competitors.

You can take a look at the list of conditions that can be detected via Prenuvo’s whole-body MRI scans vs. their competitors here.

Prenuvo scans on the left, compared to another US-based MRI service

Scan Duration

Most other providers scan specific body parts and put the images together, which results in incomplete assessments. Their process is often slow due to magnet strength and other technology restraints. That’s why the typical whole-body scan lasts around 90 minutes, while some can take up to several hours.

Prenuvo scans your whole body, from head to toe, in 60-75 minutes. It’s much quicker than other whole-body MRI scans and delivers a more comprehensive result because it doesn’t fragment the entire process.

No Contrast or Radiation

A common misconception about MRIs is that it emits harmful radiation. The machines do not emit ionizing radiation like X-rays or CT scans. The radiofrequency waves of MRI machines are similar to those emitted by smartphones. One whole-body MRI scan at Prenuvo is equivalent to four hours of talking on the cell phone, according to Dr. Attariwala (source).

Sometimes, a patient is injected with a contrast dye before an MRI scan, which helps detect tumors in specific tissues. This can cause an allergic reaction or affect conditions like low blood pressure, asthma, or anemia.

Prenuvo doesn’t use contrast, which should make their whole-body MRI scans safer and more comfortable. The specific combination of sequences allows the company to ditch contrast while retaining efficacy in detecting tumors.