With celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton singing the praises of full-body MRI scans, a growing number of people are coughing up the cash for the preventive measure — but is the peace of mind worth the hefty price tag?

Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, more commonly known as “Dr. Mike,” is a podcaster and primary care physician in New Jersey. He recently spoke about full-body scans with Andrew Lacy, CEO of Prenuvo, one of the biggest providers of full-body scans.

“I have to say, I’m certainly intrigued by the technology and I’m in love with the concept of catching diseases earlier so that we can have more success with treatment,” Dr. Mike said during the podcast.

THESE 8 HEALTH SCREENINGS SHOULD BE ON YOUR CALENDAR FOR 2024, ACCORDING TO DOCTORS

“However, I am still not sold that this is what the Prenuvo scan has proven to deliver. In the day and age where we find ourselves, folks want more out of healthcare than we can yet deliver.”

How do full-body scans work?

Full-body scans use different technologies, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or positron emission tomography (PET), according to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The goal is to detect early signs of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and other abnormalities.

Dr. Daniel Durand, chief medical officer at Prenuvo, who is based in Maryland, compared the scan to a “virtual physical” in which a radiologist examines the inside of the body in a way that a traditional annual physical cannot.

Prenuvo’s scan uses MRI technology to collect a “vast amount of health data,” he told Fox News Digital.

5 CANCER TYPES WHERE SCREENINGS SAVE THE MOST LIVES

“Two licensed providers analyze this data, explain its relevance directly to you and offer you guidance on the next steps necessary to optimize your health,” he said.

Insurance does not typically cover whole-body scans.

“Coverage usually varies widely by insurance plan, jurisdiction, and the specific clinical guidelines for each genetic condition,” Dr. Mike told Fox News Digital. 

A chief medical officer compared the scan to a “virtual physical” in which a radiologist examines the inside of the body in a way that a traditional annual physical cannot do. (Prenuvo)

“My general understanding is that for screening purposes, the test is usually not covered, given the lack of documented clinical benefit versus harms.”

Some coverage may be offered, however, for those with high-risk genetic syndromes or other specific medical conditions, the doctor noted.

“Our hope is that over time, insurers will see the many benefits of our proactive approach to healthcare and will broaden coverage,” Prenuvo’s Durand said.

COMMON CANCER TYPE COULD BE DETECTED WITH NEW BLOOD TEST

“We are actively engaged in several research studies that could provide a foundation for insurance reimbursement.”

Depending on the provider and options selected, prices for full-body scans can be as high as $2,500.

The two biggest providers of full-body scans are Prenuvo (headquartered in California) and Ezra (based in New York City). 

Potential benefits

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, previously spoke with Fox News Digital about the benefits of full-body MRI scans.

“Full-body scanning, mainly through MRI, presents a significant advancement in modern medicine’s diagnostic capabilities,” he said.

“In many cases, the earliest signs of diseases — like cancers, infections or aneurysms — will be seen.”

“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,” he also said.

Durand claimed that a Prenuvo scan can detect many diseases based on changes to the inside of the body that can be detected by MRI.

“Usually these changes happen before symptoms occur or before there are signs on a physical exam,” he told Fox News Digital.

“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,” one neurosurgeon said. (iStock)

“So, in many cases, the earliest signs of diseases — like cancers, infections or aneurysms — will be seen,” he went on. “By seeing them earlier, you can be treated earlier, hopefully before the disease has done little to no permanent damage.”

Doctors share concerns

Dr. Mike told Fox News Digital that he has not recommended that any of his patients get an MRI screening scan. 

“The high upfront cost and lack of clear medical indication for broad screening (if you’re low-risk and asymptomatic) lead me to agree with the major medical organizations that routine whole-body MRI screening for the general population is not recommended,” he said.

CANCER SCREENINGS: HERE ARE 5 TYPES AND CRITICAL INFORMATION TO KNOW ABOUT EACH

Much of the popularity of these scans has been driven by celebrities, who sometimes receive them for free, Dr. Mike said — which he finds concerning.

“My understanding is that even receiving a free scan is a business relationship that the FTC requires disclosing,” he said. “My understanding is that the companies themselves cannot claim their tests save lives, so they work with celebs who can make personal claims that are not subject to the same investigational scrutiny.”

“With the current level of technology, I am against full-body scans in favor of more directed workups initiated by expert physicians who know what they are looking for,” one doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

“This also sends a conflicting message to the consumer and creates confusion.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News’ senior medical analyst, also does not recommend these scans to patients.

“If you do a full-body scan, you will be inclined to pursue every positive finding, whether they are really significant or not.”

“With the current level of technology, I am against full-body scans in favor of more directed workups initiated by expert physicians who know what they are looking for,” he told Fox News Digital.

“If you do a full-body scan, you will be inclined to pursue every positive finding, whether they are really significant or not.”

Siegel also noted the high expense and the fact that full-body scans are “frequently oversensitive.”

One doctor warned of mental risks, including anxiety during the procedure (claustrophobia), stress from incidental findings and an increase in health-related worries. (iStock)

“They may take the place of more directed, accurate studies and screening tests that are more suited to the symptoms, history and genetic tests in specific patients,” Siegel cautioned. 

The doctor also noted the current shift toward more personalized healthcare approaches, “augmented by not just genetics, but also artificial intelligence.”

“This will lead to more directed workups, not to more full-body scans.”

The most significant risks that come with these full-body scans, according to Dr. Mike, are the issues that arise with false positives, overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

There are also mental risks, including anxiety during the procedure (claustrophobia), stress from incidental findings and an increase in health-related worries, the doctor noted.

“Some proponents say it can ease health-related anxiety; however, I am pretty skeptical of that claim,” he said. “Based on my clinical experience, even getting a clear scan would secure peace of mind only temporarily.”

“We don’t know if we are saving more people by catching disease early or harming more people with overdiagnosis, false positives and overtreatment.”

Research published in 2020 found that imaging abnormalities are expected in about 95% of screened subjects, according to the doctor. 

“This means the majority of those scanned will have some sort of finding presented to them,” he said. “I can’t imagine how helpful that would be to someone already prone to health worries.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP      

During Dr. Mike’s podcast interview with Lacy, the Prenuvo CEO said that long-term data on these screening scans is not yet available.

“So, currently, we don’t know if we are saving more people by catching disease early or harming more people with overdiagnosis, false positives and overtreatment,” Dr. Mike said. 

“Barring emergencies, if I don’t have clear data about the harms and benefits of an intervention, especially one that is meant to be used on healthy people, I cannot widely recommend it.”

“Before having a CT screening procedure, carefully investigate and consider the potential risks and benefits and discuss them with your physician,” the FDA advised.  (iStock)

Prenuvo did cite a recent study of over 1,000 patients who were followed over a one-year period.  

“In this sample, we found pathologically-proven cancer in 2.2% of Prenuvo patients,” Durand told Fox News Digital. “Importantly, most of these cancers were early stage, and the majority were cancer types for which there is no widely accepted screening exam.”

Guidelines of health agencies

The most recent guidance from the FDA echoes the doctors’ concerns.

“At this time, the FDA knows of no scientific evidence demonstrating that whole-body scanning of individuals without symptoms provides more benefit than harm to people being screened,” the agency stated on its website.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

The FDA also warned about the “relatively high radiation exposure” from CT scans. While this exposure risk is “greatly outweighed” by the benefits of diagnostic and therapeutic scans, the agency said that for whole-body screening of asymptomatic people, “the benefits are questionable.”

“Before having a CT screening procedure, carefully investigate and consider the potential risks and benefits and discuss them with your physician,” the FDA advised. 

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) also recommends against full-body scans for early tumor detection in asymptomatic patients. 

A dangerous fungus spreading among U.S. healthcare systems isn’t slowing down, reports claim.

New research has revealed that Candida auris (C. auris) has spread rapidly in hospitals since it was first reported in 2016.

In March 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 4,000 new clinical cases of C. auris, dubbing it an “urgent antimicrobial (AR) threat.”

SHAMPOO RECALLED FOR BACTERIA CONTAMINATION THAT COULD CAUSE INFECTION

The fungus can be resistant to multiple antifungal drugs and can cause “life-threatening illness.”

C. auris “spreads easily” in healthcare facilities and mostly impacts people who are already sick, the CDC stated on its website.

A new study published in the American Journal of Infection Control on March 17 analyzed clinical cultures of C. auris across the U.S. collected from 2019 to 2023.

The number of clinical cultures increased by 580% from 2019 to 2020, by 251% in 2021, by 46% in 2022, and by 7% in 2023.

FRIGHTENING NEW FUNGUS ‘CANDIDA AURIS’: WHAT IS IT? WHO IS SUSCEPTIBLE?

“The volumes of clinical cultures with C. auris have rapidly increased, accompanied by an expansion in the sources of infection,” concluded the researchers, primarily from the University of Miami.

JoAnna Wagner with the Georgia Department of Public Health shared with local ABC News affiliate WJCL that Georgia, one of the impacted states, has detected more than 1,300 cases as of the end of February.

“Many of the disinfectants that are EPA-registered and historically used by hospitals and medical facilities are not effective against C. Auris,” Wagner said.

C. auris is life-threatening to sick individuals, but not a threat to healthy people, according to experts. (iStock)

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, considers C. auris an “emerging problem of great concern,” he told Fox News Digital.

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health

“It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, and it tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment being used on immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters,” he said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Unfortunately, symptoms such as fever, chills and aches may be ubiquitous, and it can be mistaken for other infections.”

“Major research” is ongoing to develop new treatments, according to Siegel.

C. auris can cause symptoms like fever, chills and aches, which can mimic other infections, a doctor said. (iStock)

“This is part of a much larger problem of emerging antibiotic resistance in the U.S. and around the world,” the physician cautioned.

“At the same time, sterilization and disinfection measures in hospitals can be very helpful.”

“This is part of a much larger problem of emerging antibiotic resistance in the U.S. and around the world.”

Healthcare facilities in Georgia are reportedly using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified cleaners designed to attack the fungus.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Although C. auris can cause severe infections with high death rates in sick individuals, it is “not a threat to healthy people,” according to the CDC.

Fox News Digital reached out to the lead study author and the Georgia Department of Public Health for comment.

A 66-year-old woman in Germany has given birth to her 10th child.

Alexandra Hildebrandt, owner of the Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, welcomed her new son, Philipp, on March 19, according to today.com and other outlets.

The mom had her first child back in 1977, followed by eight children after she turned 50 — who were all born via C-section.

PREGNANT WOMAN AND BABY SAVED AFTER DOCTORS FIND GRAPEFRUIT-SIZED TUMOR: ‘EXTREMELY RARE’

Her children include Svetlana, 45; Artiom, 36; twins Elisabeth and Maximilian, 12; Alexandra, 10; Leopold, 8; Anna, 7; Maria, 4 and Katharina, 2.

Hildebrandt told TODAY that she did not use any fertility drugs and did not have difficulty conceiving.

Her new baby Philipp was born via C-section at Charite Hospital in Berlin. 

He weighed in at a “healthy” seven pounds, 13 ounces, although he was kept in an incubator.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, Hildebrandt shared her happiness in welcoming another child, noting that she feels “like I’m 35.”

“We should encourage people to have more children!”

Professor Wolfgang Henrich, director of the Clinic for Obstetric Medicine at the Berlin Charite where Hildebrandt was treated, told Bild that her age and number of C-sections is an “absolute rarity in obstetric medicine and represented a challenge.”

The new mom’s healthy lifestyle, according to her doctor, helped her manage another pregnancy well. Her new baby (not pictured) was born via C-section.  (iStock)

“Because of her particularly good physical constitution and mental strength, Ms. Hildebrandt managed the pregnancy well,” he said. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“The operation was completely uncomplicated.”

Hildebrandt, director of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, is shown at right near the Glienicke Bridge on August 13, 2021, in Berlin, Germany. (Adam Berry/Getty Images)

Hildebrandt confirmed with the publication, “I eat very healthily, swim regularly for an hour, run for two hours, don’t smoke or drink, and have never used contraception.”

“There is such a tendency to be unfriendly to children,” Hildebrandt also told Bild. 

Said the mom of 10 children (not pictured), “I eat very healthily, swim regularly for an hour, run for two hours, don’t smoke or drink, and have never used contraception.” (ER Productions Limited via Getty Images)

“Many people would revise their judgment once they had contact with children. We should encourage people to have more children!”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Fox News Digital reached out to Hildebrandt for further comment.

A Michigan resident has died of rabies after receiving an organ transplant.

The patient, who received the transplant at an Ohio hospital in December 2024, died of the fatal virus in January 2025, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital.

“The person was a recent organ transplant recipient, and a public health investigation determined they contracted rabies through the transplanted organ,” the spokesperson said. 

ALCOHOL-RELATED LIVER TRANSPLANTS ON THE RISE AMONG YOUNG ADULTS, DOCTOR SAYS

The rabies confirmation was made by the CDC Rabies Laboratory.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has worked closely with the Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the investigation, the same source stated. 

“Health officials worked together to ensure that people, including healthcare providers, who were in contact with the Michigan individual were assessed for possible exposure to rabies,” the MDHHS stated. “Post-exposure preventive care, if appropriate, has been provided.” 

POTENTIALLY DEADLY ZOONOTIC VIRUS FOUND IN US

“There is no threat to the general public.”

The organ donor was not a Michigan or Ohio resident, according to health officials. No additional information has been provided about the resident or the donor.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that is mainly transmitted to people and pets through bites or scratches from an infected animal, according to the CDC. (iStock)

While organs are routinely screened for infectious diseases, cancers, quality and functionality prior to transplant, rabies testing is not typically performed.

“There is currently no country or institution that requires the screening of rabies among donors before organ transplantation surgery,” according to information published by the National Institutes of Health.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

In 2013, the CDC confirmed the death of four people in Maryland who contracted rabies after receiving organs from the same donor.

In 2004, the agency reported the rabies deaths of three people who received organs from a common infected donor.

What to know about rabies

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that is mainly transmitted to people and pets through bites or scratches from an infected animal, according to the CDC.

The virus affects the central nervous system, ultimately causing brain dysfunction. The infected person may experience anxiety, confusion, agitation and hallucinations, per the health agency.

Rabies is almost always fatal if the infected person does not receive medical attention before symptoms begin.  (iStock)

Rabies is almost always fatal if the infected person does not receive medical attention before symptoms begin. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Around 60,000 people in the U.S. receive medical care after being exposed to rabies, the CDC stated. 

Fewer than 10 deaths are reported in the country each year. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Most Americans who contract rabies are infected by bats. 

Other animals that commonly carry rabies include raccoons, skunks and foxes.