Health
Woman’s life is saved when full-body scan detects deadly condition with no symptoms
As some doctors say, “If you look, you will find.”
In August 2023, Mary Ann Waldron, a healthy Arizona woman, decided to undergo an elective MRI full-body scan at a SimonMed Imaging facility, never expecting to find anything serious.
She was shocked when the scan detected a large aneurysm in her pancreas area, ultimately saving her life.
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Today, a strong proponent of full-body scans as a preventative measure, Waldron is eager to share her story as a cautionary tale for others.
“I believe we each need to take responsibility for our health,” she told Fox News Digital. “I’m more than 70 years old, and despite being asymptomatic, I wanted to learn if I had any early-stage cancers.”
Mary Ann Waldron, 73, pictured with her husband, had a life-saving MRI that detected a potentially deadly aneurysm. (Mary Ann Waldron)
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, also recognizes the benefits of full-body MRI scans.
“Full-body scanning, mainly through MRI, presents a significant advancement in modern medicine’s diagnostic capabilities,” he told Fox News Digital. (He was not involved in Waldron’s care.)
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“MRI technology allows for a comprehensive, noninvasive examination of the body to detect a wide range of conditions, including cancer and vascular malformations like aneurysms, without the need for potentially harmful X-rays, as is the case with CT scans.”
Life-saving discovery
The results of Waldron’s scan indicated that there “may be an aneurysm.” A follow-up CT scan of her abdomen and pancreas was then recommended.
“If in fact I had an aneurysm, then this was life-threatening, as death is imminent when an aneurysm bursts, unless the person is already in an operating suite,” said Waldron.
“Full-body scanning, mainly through MRI, presents a significant advancement in modern medicine’s diagnostic capabilities,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (SimonMed)
Dr. Barry Sadegi, SimonMed’s chief medical officer in Scottsdale, Arizona, emphasized the danger of Waldron’s condition.
“Pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysms are extremely rare, representing only 2% of all splanchnic (abdominal organ) aneurysms,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The majority (64%) of patients who seek treatment present after the aneurysm has ruptured.”
Aneurysm rupture can be life-threatening, Sadegi confirmed, as it results in abdominal bleeding.
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In many cases, there are no symptoms of an aneurysm, which was the case for Waldron.
“And because I had no prior imaging studies of this area for comparison, there was no way to know how long this aneurysm had been present or for how much longer it would exist before bursting,” she added.
Once doctors confirmed that Waldron had an aneurysm, she was referred to a vascular surgeon, who determined that she would need immediate surgery.
Because the MRI scans don’t use ionizing radiation, the test itself is safe, said Sadegi of SimonMed, although the test does have some indirect risks and limitations. (iStock)
“We scheduled the procedure and were advised to drive from Sedona to Chicago, as the risk of flying with changes in pressure was dangerous,” she said. “The size and location of my aneurysm was unusually large and uncommon.”
Waldron underwent an angiogram of the mesenteric artery (a major artery of the abdomen). The surgeon performed an embolization of the aneurysm, placing several titanium wires to block the artery and close off the sac of the aneurysm, preventing further blood flow and bursting.
Today, Waldron is feeling healthy and is back to her regular routines.
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“It is now necessary for me to take daily blood thinners, which make me susceptible to bruising, but other than that I am feeling well,” she told Fox News Digital.
“I have resumed my usual activities of golf, swimming and walking.”
Waldron will continue to see her doctor every six months for the next couple of years for ultrasounds of the stented area.
The SimonONE scan (pictured) scans the entire body for warning signs of disease without using ionizing radiation. (SimonMed)
“This was a truly life-saving surgery,” she said.
“Generally, early detection enables early intervention, which provides the best opportunity for successful resolution. In my case, the detection was not early in the formation of the aneurysm, but was early enough to correct it.”
She added, “I believe these scans can detect abnormalities at an early stage, helping us prolong our lives — and certainly the quality of our lives.”
Focus on preventative health care
The majority of the U.S. health care system is reactive rather than proactive, Sadegi stated — “more focused on treating illness after it develops rather than preventing it.”
The scan, he said, is a means of empowering patients who want to take an active role in their disease prevention.
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“Although the American College of Radiology does not currently recommend MRI whole-body screening for the general population, many SimonONE patients have similar stories in which the scan resulted in very positive health outcomes,” he said.
“Because there can be false positives, one may argue that there is unnecessary expense in the whole-body scan and unnecessary radiation in the follow-up studies that confirm there are no issues,” Waldron, pictured, told Fox News Digital. (Mary Ann Waldron)
Some of the conditions that SimonMed’s scans have discovered have included other aneurysms, severe arterial stenoses in the neck and head, and masses in the brain, pituitary gland, neck, thyroid, mediastinum, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, lymph nodes, bladder, endometrium and prostate gland, said Sadegi.
Potential risks and limitations
Because the MRI scans don’t use ionizing radiation, Sadegi said the test itself is low-risk.
There is the risk of overdiagnosis, however, as Osborn noted.
“This is where benign conditions are detected and treated unnecessarily, leading to undue stress, further testing, and potentially unnecessary interventions and their inevitable complications,” he told Fox News Digital.
Today, Waldron is feeling healthy and is back to her regular routines. “This was a truly life-saving surgery,” she said. (Mary Ann Waldron / iStock)
“These studies are imperfect,” he told Fox News Digital. “Is the patient ready to deal with a positive finding? Often, it’s unclear whether a lesion is benign or malignant. And then what? Are these studies worth the ‘risk’ at this point?”
He added, “I defer to my patients and allow them to make an informed decision. To me, however, the benefits far outweigh the risks.”
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In Waldron’s case, she was OK with the risks.
“Because there can be false positives, one may argue that there is unnecessary expense in the whole-body scan and unnecessary radiation in the follow-up studies that confirm there are no issues,” she said.
“I defer to my patients and allow them to make an informed decision. To me, however, the benefits far outweigh the risks.”
“But this, in my opinion, is a minor trade-off for the peace of mind one achieves either knowing all is well or knowing what needs to be addressed.”
This type of scan also has some limitations.
It does not screen for blood-borne tumors, such as leukemia, or for skin tumors, such as melanoma or basal cell carcinoma, according to Sadegi. It also might not detect smaller nodules in the lungs.
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The scan is also not ideal for detecting musculoskeletal conditions involving bones or joints.
Sadegi said it cannot replace colonoscopies for colon or rectal screenings; and mammography and MRI of the breasts are more sensitive for breast cancer.
Barriers to care
Right now, given the associated costs, most insurance carriers do not cover a full-body MRI, Osborn pointed out.
“These scans can detect abnormalities at an early stage, helping us prolong our lives and certainly the quality of our lives,” said one patient. (iStock)
“The numbers don’t make sense to them,” he said. “It’s simply a matter of dollars and cents. Many scans, at significant cost, would have to be performed to save one life … This is the ‘business’ of medicine and one of the main reasons why, historically speaking, insurance companies have not embraced preventive care.”
That could change in the future, he said.
“As consumer interest in preventive care soars — and people want to live longer, healthier lives — it may be the driver of change.”
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Just four minutes of daily strength exercises can dramatically improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, per new research from the Penn State College of Medicine.
Standard public health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. However, the study suggests that fewer than one in five older adults meet the recommended muscle-strengthening guidelines.
The research team designed a home-based program called Functional Activity Strength Training, or FAST-2. They evaluated 97 sedentary participants 65 and older, with an average age of 74.
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Before entering the study, these individuals were averaging just 18 minutes of total physical activity each week.
The older adults were randomly split into two groups, with one group performing the daily exercise routine and the other serving as a control group that received no intervention, according to the study’s press release.
Just four minutes of daily home strength training can significantly improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, according to a Penn State College of Medicine study. (iStock)
Participants performed four basic movements for 30 seconds each, separated by 30-second rest intervals. The entire routine lasted exactly four minutes. The circuit consisted of push-ups, chair stands, two-arm resistance-band rows and stair stepping.
To keep the routine accessible, researchers provided written explanations and simple modifications. For example, participants could perform push-ups against a kitchen counter or wall, or use their hands on their knees for support during chair stands.
Participants were also given four elastic resistance bands and an adjustable step platform.
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“Exercise is actually really complicated, because you have to decide how many repetitions, how far, how many sets, how much rest and how many times per week,” co-author Smita Dandekar, associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, said in the press release.
“It’s hard work … so if we can make it short, we’re part [of the] way there.”
The program consisted of four basic movements: push-ups, chair stands, resistance-band rows and stair stepping. (iStock)
As the participants grew stronger, they were encouraged to progress to higher levels of difficulty, such as transitioning away from modifications or increasing the height of the stepper.
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After 12 weeks, the results suggested that a tiny dose of regular exercise could yield noticeable physical benefits. In a 30-second chair-stand test, the exercise group performed an average of 4.2 more repetitions than the control group.
“These indicators … give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
The adults doing the exercises also shaved 2.3 seconds off their time during a test measuring how they could stand up and sit down five times consecutively. Furthermore, they extended their one-legged balance time by an average of 3.6 seconds.
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The researchers emphasized that these specific measurements are critical medical indicators of an older adult’s future health.
By keeping the routine ultra-short, researchers eliminated common barriers like time constraints and exhaustion, resulting in an exceptionally high 81% workout completion rate. (iStock)
“These indicators predict your future ability to go into a nursing home, your future likelihood of falling and of developing difficulty walking,” noted lead author Christopher Sciamanna, professor of medicine and of public health at Penn State College of Medicine, in the press release.
“They give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
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While traditional home exercise programs generally see low engagement, the participants in this study successfully completed their workouts on 81% of the tracked days, according to the researchers.
After 12 weeks, exercising seniors gained the ability to complete an average of four more chair-stand repetitions than those who did not exercise. (iStock)
The study had several noted limitations. As it tracked a relatively small sample size of fewer than 100 individuals over a brief 12-week time frame, it is unknown whether these mobility gains can be sustained long-term.
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Additionally, the researchers did not specify the exact dropout rates or detail how the routine might affect seniors who already relied on assistive devices like walkers or canes.
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Because the final trial results reflected a specific group of participants who met the entry criteria, further investigation is required to determine whether the short routine can safely benefit older adults facing more severe physical limitations or cognitive decline.
The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
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Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy, has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
The popular “mommy blogger” had been fighting the disease for the past two years, according to an announcement posted on ScaryMommy.com on Monday.
The stay-at-home mother of three launched the blog in 2008 as a place to share the “joys and pitfalls” of parenting, according to the article.
As Scary Mommy expanded from a personal blog into a major parenting brand, Smokler built a following with her honest, often self-deprecating take on motherhood. She went on to speak at blogging conferences, author bestselling books, appear on national television programs and earn three Webby Awards, her biography states.
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“Jill spent her life telling the truth about motherhood — that it could be wonderful and impossible in the very same breath — and in doing so, she gave millions of women permission to stop pretending and feel a little less alone,” her family shared in a statement following her passing.
Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy (pictured in 2018), has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock)
“She was funny, fearless, generous and entirely herself. More than anything she built, Jill was proudest of her three children, Lily, Ben and Evan. We are heartbroken to lose her, and endlessly proud of the mark she left on the world.”
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Smokler’s first sign of the disease was in April 2024, when she experienced a sudden seizure. She then underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, after which she didn’t recognize her own children, she previously shared with Today.
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“I am definitely grateful that I don’t remember the looks on their faces when I didn’t recognize them,” she said. “That must have been gutting.”
Smokler was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults and one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. There is currently no cure.
About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. (iStock)
Following surgery, the blogger underwent radiation and chemotherapy, during which she was open about her treatment side effects, including fatigue and hair loss. Additional surgeries and clinical trials followed, according to previous interviews.
“Thank you, Jill, for everything. May you rest in peace,” the Scary Mommy post concluded.
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About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. More than 12,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
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Median survival is approximately 12 to 18 months after diagnosis, even with treatment. Only about 5% to 7% of patients survive five years after diagnosis, data shows.
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