Health
Kim Kardashian says full-body MRI scans can be ‘life-saving,’ yet many experts remain skeptical
![Kim Kardashian says full-body MRI scans can be ‘life-saving,’ yet many experts remain skeptical](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/08/kim-k-split.jpg)
Reality star Kim Kardashian recently praised the wellness trend of undertaking whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening — saying these screenings save lives.
Many medical experts, however, share a larger context from their point of view and even some caveats when it comes to the health care benefits overall.
“I recently did this @prenuvo scan and had to tell you all about this life-saving machine,” the 42-year-old media personality recently wrote on Instagram.
“The Prenuvo full-body scan has the ability to detect cancer and diseases such as aneurysms in its earliest stages, before symptoms arise,” Kardashian also wrote.
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“It has really saved some of my friends’ lives and I just wanted to share, #NotAnAd,” Kardashian wrote.
As a patient lies in a tube-shaped MRI machine, its powerful magnetic field and radio waves create computer-generated cross-sectional images of the inside of the body, similar to slices in a loaf of bread, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Kim Kardashian, reality star and media personality, is shown on the right; on the left, a patient prepares for an MRI. (iStock/Nathan Congleton/NBC/Getty Images)
The health conscious who can afford the expensive full body MRI scan find peace of mind knowing the most information available about the inside of their body, according to many accounts, especially since cancer is one of leading causes of death in the United States.
Regarding cost, Prenuvo, for its part, charges $999 to scan the chest, belly and pelvis; $1,799 to scan the head with the chest, belly and pelvis; and $2,499 for whole body scans, according to its website. The company says these scans can detect solid tumors, malignant cancers, potentially treatable brain aneurysms, spinal degeneration, previous strokes and musculoskeletal conditions.
Some experts, however, believe that more information is not always better.
Patients are advised to check with their health providers for insights or advice, depending on their own medical history. Charges vary depending on provider.
‘No scientific evidence’
A recent 2019 comprehensive review of 12 studies on whole-body MRI scans on people without any symptoms concluded that these scans lead to unnecessary testing because of the high rate of “false positive” results.
A “false positive” suggests cancer, but then upon further workup comes back as non-cancerous.
“There is a substantial risk of false-positives, which may have several negative downstream effects.”
“There is no scientific evidence that whole-body MRI screening is a beneficial and cost-effective method for screening healthy people,” Dr. Thomas Kwee, lead author of the study, told Fox Digital News.
“There is a substantial risk of false-positives, which may have several negative downstream effects, including subjecting healthy people to additional unnecessary (invasive) tests or even treatment, and increasing healthcare costs,” added Kwee, radiologist at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, per an email.
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All screening tests, including those clinically indicated, have some inherent risk of “incidentalomas of indeterminate clinical significance” and “false positives,” Dr. Yosef Chodakiewitz, radiologist at Prenuvo based in Silicon Valley, told Fox News Digital.
Clinicians can balance these risks, so “in most cases, so-called ‘findings of indeterminate clinical significance’ can still be appropriately risk-stratified according to radiological-features, comparisons to prior imaging-studies, and clinical context/history,” the doctor added in an email.
![MRI patient](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/02/640/320/prostate-cancer.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
A patient is shown waiting to have an MRI. Some people are advocating for the pendulum to swing toward less body screening, not more. (iStock)
“In cases of diagnostically nonspecific but currently low-risk findings, such findings typically do not need any active investigation or additional testing, but rather can be reassessed as part of the next general screening [whole-body MRI] checkup,” he also said.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) notes there is no evidence that total body screening is either cost-effective or prolongs life, according to a statement.
The organization’s statement added that this screening may add a significant medical expense that’s not needed.
Screen for breast, cervical and colon cancer
Some are advocating for the pendulum to swing for less screening, not more.
Current evidence, for example, suggests the benefits of prostate cancer screening with a simple blood test known as a prostate specific antigen test, or PSA, often don’t outweigh the risks for most men.
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Since many factors can affect the PSA level, the current recommendation is for patients to have shared decision-making with their provider to see if getting screened is right for them.
![Child getting MRI](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/04/640/320/child-getting-mri.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
A medical practitioner is shown releasing a patient from an MRI machine. Only 14% of cancers diagnosed in the U.S. are first detected by a screening test, according to a recent report. (iStock)
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) currently only recommend routine screening for a small number of cancers, namely breast and cervical cancer in women and colon cancer in both sexes — as well lung cancer for those who are high risk.
Screenings detect only a minority of cancers
Only 14% of cancers diagnosed in the U.S. are first detected by a screening test, according to a recent report by the nonprofit research organization NORC at the University of Chicago.
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More people want to take charge of their health and not simply rely on the current screening guidelines for which many cancers are excluded.
“In our decade-long history in this uniquely specialized [whole-body MRI] screening practice, we have been able to find many early-stage cancers in patients that would not have been able to be detected by any other standardly available screening methodologies,” Chodakiewitz told Fox News Digital.
“It’s important for people to get the screenings they need to live longer and healthier lives.”
“Our view on the utility of cancer screening with [whole body MRI] is that it enables a highly efficient general evaluation that can look for cancer ‘everywhere and at everything under the skin’ to serve as the next best way to screen for cancer whenever a gold standard method does not yet exist or is not accessible,” Chodakiewitz added.
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“That’s still the case for most cancers.”
“It’s important for people to get the screenings they need to live longer and healthier lives,” Dr. Michael Barry, chair of the U.S. Services Preventive Task Force, told Fox News Digital in an email.
“We encourage people to focus on preventive services that are proven to keep people healthy,” he also said.
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Learn About the Real Life Spouses of the 'Yellowstone' Cast
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Childhood medical myths debunked as experts weigh in on 5 common warnings
![Childhood medical myths debunked as experts weigh in on 5 common warnings](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/kid-health-myth-split.jpg)
Mothers might know best, but it’s not always easy to separate fact from fiction when it comes to health advice.
A new report from University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Health has broken down several common wellness myths that children often hear while growing up.
Fox News Digital spoke with experts who revealed the truth behind common medical misconceptions.
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Here are five.
Myth 1. Ginger ale relieves stomach aches
While actual ginger can help ease a stomach ache, most commercial ginger ales don’t actually contain the real thing, Michelle Jaelin, a registered dietitian practicing in Ontario, Canada, told Fox News Digital.
A new report from University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Health reveals the truth about several common wellness myths that children often hear while growing up. (iStock)
This childhood myth persists as parents give ginger ale to children because it’s sweet and bubbly, she said.
“It makes parents feel better that they are doing something for their child when they aren’t feeling well, and the myth persisted as a drink that helps a stomach ache,” Jaelin said.
The carbonated beverages could actually make the stomach pain even worse by increasing gas in the digestive tract, according to Healthline’s website.
![Kid eating chicken soup](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/1200/675/little-boy-eating-soup.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Chicken soup has been viewed as a popular cold remedy since at least the 12th century, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). (iStock)
Drinks with real ginger also tend to contain excess added sugar, experts said – essentially the equivalent of soda that may worsen stomach pain.
Myth 2. Gum stays in your stomach for seven years
“Swallowed gum does not stay in your stomach for [seven] years, as the myths suggest,” Su-Nui Escobar, a registered dietitian based in Miami, Florida, told Fox News Digital.
“While swallowing gum is not recommended, if you do so accidentally, you will likely pass it like any other indigestible food.”
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The gum will pass through the stomach within two hours and be excreted in the stool after approximately two to five days, just like other foods, according to the recent UCSF report.
Although chewing gum can stick to many surfaces — including walls or desks — it travels mostly intact through the gastrointestinal tract without sticking to the intestinal walls, the report notes.
![Kid chewing gum](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/1200/675/little-boy-blowing-bubble.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
“Swallowed gum does not stay in your stomach for [seven] years, as the myths suggest,” an expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
But experts still caution against children swallowing gum, because substantial amounts might cause an intestinal blockage, Escobar warned.
This is a particular concern among children who have underlying constipation, according to Mayo Clinic’s website.
“If you suspect a blockage, seek immediate medical attention,” Escobar advised.
Myth 3. You shouldn’t swim for 30 minutes after eating
As summer kicks into high gear, there is good news for any swimmer itching to get in the water after lunch. Yes, it is usually OK to swim right after you eat.
The myth that you shouldn’t swim immediately after eating stems from a theoretical concern that blood flow will be diverted away from the arms and legs to help digest food, potentially leading to an increased risk of drowning.
“Based on current research, eating before swimming is not affiliated with a risk of drowning, and can be dismissed as a myth.”
But a comprehensive American Red Cross scientific review on the effects of eating before swimming showed no effect on performance in the water after a meal.
“A recent literature review did not provide any information related to an increased risk of drowning due to consuming food before swimming,” Jodi Jensen, PhD, member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council in Virginia, told Fox News Digital.
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“There is no supporting evidence from a major medical or safety organization that recommends refraining from eating before engaging in aquatic activities such as swimming,” added Jensen, who is also an assistant professor and aquatics director at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia.
![little-girl-eating-ice-pop-by-pool](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/1200/675/little-girl-eating-ice-pop-by-pool.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
“There is no supporting evidence from a major medical or safety organization that recommends refraining from eating before engaging in aquatic activities such as swimming,” an expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Based on current research, eating before swimming is not affiliated with a risk of drowning, and can be dismissed as a myth.”
Although study participants experienced “minimal” side effects at different time intervals after eating, some outside experts do recommend waiting a bit after a meal if you plan to swim laps or compete to avoid any stomach cramping or digestive issues.
Myth 4. Chicken soup cures a cold
Chicken soup has been viewed as a popular cold remedy since at least the 12th century, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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“Chicken soup is warm and comforting when you’re sick, but it’s not a cure,” Jaelin told Fox News Digital.
“Chicken soup is warm and comforting when you’re sick, but it’s not a cure.”
“Drinking any hot broth when your sinuses are stuffed can help to clear them out.”
The steam from the chicken broth may relieve a sore throat and congested sinuses, the NIH noted.
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When battling a cold, get plenty of clear fluids to help regulate body temperature and promote improved immune system function, said Jaelin.
“Chicken soup counts toward overall fluid intake,” she added.
It also helps prevent dehydration and clear out mucus, the NIH noted.
Myth 5. You will ruin your eyes if you sit too close to the TV
Sitting too close to the TV will not damage your eyes, though it may cause eye strain, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
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To prevent eye strain while watching television, experts recommend keeping the room well-lit and taking occasional breaks from the screen.
![little-kid-watching-TV](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/1200/675/little-kid-watching-TV.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Sitting too close to the television will not damage your eyes, but may cause eye strain, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. (iStock)
“Children can focus at very close distances better than adults, and may not develop the same eye strain symptoms,” Nishika Reddy, M.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology at Moran Eye Center’s Midvalley Health Center at University of Utah in Murray, Utah, told Fox News Digital.
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It may be a red flag, though, if children are watching television too closely, experts warned.
The behavior may indicate an underlying vision issue that should be addressed, the UCSF report noted.
![kids-closely-watching-TV](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/1200/675/kids-closely-watching-TV.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
The American Academy of Pediatrics says high-quality digital media can be introduced to children between 18 and 24 months of age (only when supervised by parents or caregivers). The academy also recommends limiting screen time to one hour a day for children ages 2 to 5. (iStock)
“See an eye care provider to perform an eye exam for your child,” Reddy recommended.
A more concerning issue is the indirect effect of too much screen time, according to the report.
Although experts say there is no one-size-fits-all guideline when it comes to children and screen time, the American Academy of Pediatrics says high-quality digital media can be introduced to children between 18 and 24 months of age (only when supervised by parents or caregivers).
The academy also recommends limiting screen time to one hour a day for children ages 2 to 5.
Fox News Digital reached out to UCSF for additional comment about its new study.
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