Kim Kardashian Opens Up About Getting a $2,500 MRI Prenuvo Full-Body Scan That Doctors Are Shaky About

Kim Kardashian recently shared her experience of getting a full-body MRI scan with a new business that claims that their unique early disease identification can help save lives. According to Prenuvo, the firm the reality TV star used for this scan is capable of finding 500 anomalies and disorders. Celebrities who can afford to spend $2,500 for a whole-body scan are starting to embrace the startup, as per Insider.

In a post on Instagram on Tuesday, Kardashian included a picture of herself standing in scrubs in front of a Prenuvo MRI scanner and referred to the device's technology as "life-saving." The Kardashians star also stated in her note that the scans had "really saved some of my friends' lives." 

"The Prenuvo full-body scan has the ability to detect cancer and diseases such as aneurysms in its earliest stages before symptoms arise," Kardashian wrote in her caption. "It was like getting an MRI for an hour with no radiation."

Kardashian is not the first member of her family to advocate for using MRIs as a preventative healthcare measure. The matriarch Kris Jenner also got a test at Prenuvo and received the all-clear on her health in an episode of The Kardashians that aired in July. In reality, Insider revealed, the rich family has frequently advocated for pricey healthcare that is out of reach for the majority of people outside of privileged circles. The body scan is just one example. The cost of a Prenuvo scan is high: a torso scan costs $1,000, a head-and-torso scan costs $1,800, and a whole-body scan costs $2,500. Insurance is not accepted there.

The Prenuvo produces three-dimensional pictures of inside body structures, much like all MRI scanners do. Prenuvo is an MRI machine that does not use radiation or X-rays. Prenuvo's creators claim that the scan may anticipate anomalies, enabling early diagnosis and treatment. Patients can take their scan findings to their primary care doctor for a follow-up if the scan reveals anything problematic.

The manufacturer also asserts that its device is more inventive than those seen in medical facilities. Andrew Lacy, co-founder of Prenuvo, previously told Insider, "Core to Prenuvo's imaging protocols is a heavy reliance on the combination of anatomical imaging together with newer functional imaging techniques, which increases the ability of MRI to accurately discriminate many conditions."

Many doctors claim that the scan could do more harm than good. "It's a terrible idea," said Dr. Matthew Davenport, vice chair of the American College of Radiology's Quality and Safety Commission. Prenuvo scans might lead to undue testing, Davenport says. MRI's sensitivity can trigger false alarms, prompting needless procedures like invasive biopsies for non-cancerous cases. In addition, as per the American College of Preventive Medicine, whole-body scans are not advisable for asymptomatic individuals due to a dearth of supporting data.

References:

https://www.insider.com/kim-kardashian-prenuvo-mri-scan-instagram-cancer-disease-prevention-2023-8

https://www.acpm.org/getmedia/6fa8ddd8-093b-4ee7-b8e1-24485b0f7225/ajpm-choosing-wisely-paper.pdf.aspx