Whole body MRI
At the private laboratory PP DIAGNOSTYKA located in the very center of Poznan, you can perform an MRI examination. This completely painless and non-invasive procedure allows for a precise evaluation of internal organs and gives the opportunity to detect possible lesions developing in major organs. It is particularly useful for analyzing the condition of soft tissues, muscles and the skeleton. We use radio waves, a high-powered magnet and a high-tech computer to obtain images.
It should be remembered that Whole Body MR examination in patients without diagnosed disease is only of a review nature. It serves to indicate some of the pathologies that may be found and to guide possible further diagnostics (e.g., a liver lesion detected during a whole-body examination will probably need to be expanded with a precise examination directed strictly to the abdominal area on MRI). A whole-body examination has lower sensitivity and specificity (it is reviewable in nature) than dedicated examinations of specific anatomical regions. It cannot be considered a substitute for other preventive tests or dedicated imaging or endoscopic studies.
What are the indications for an MRI scan?
This modern method is used in the diagnosis of a wide range of diseases. It provides immediate insight into the structures of the body and allows the detection of possible pathologies in the major organs – in the form of an overview examination. Whole-body scanning allows analysis of the main areas, which include the head, abdomen, pelvis, spine and lower limbs*. It allows an overview assessment of the body and also of possible abnormalities within the organs.
Examples of indications for a whole-body MR examination include:
- Cancer screening in healthy individuals – such as in preventive medicine.
- Oncological diseases
- Preliminary diagnosis or monitoring of cancer spread – such as looking for metastases in the bones.
- In people with genetic predisposition syndromes to cancer.
- Cancers of the hematopoietic system, such as:
- multiple myeloma,
- Lymphomas (e.g., Hodgkin’s)
- leukemia.
- Diagnosis of bone metastases
- Whole-body MR is a frequently used test for the diagnosis of possible bone metastases, such as in prostate, breast or lung cancer.
- Search for an inflammatory focus of unknown source
- Treatment monitoring – E.g., assessing response to cancer or immunosuppressive therapy.
*The joints of the lower extremities (the upper extremities are not included due to the nature of the procedure) are not evaluated in detail during whole-body MRI. Although they are in the imaging field, the study is a review, not a diagnostic targeted at specific joints. If an abnormality is noted that requires a more detailed evaluation, the patient is referred for a dedicated MR examination of the joint in question.