Olivia Wilde turns off comments on social media as she becomes the latest celebrity to plug controversial $2,500 full body scan that can test for cancer
Olivia Wilde put herself in the firing line on Tuesday after becoming the latest in a growing line of celebrities to promote an MRI scan that is financially unattainable to the vast majority of ordinary working people. The actress shared a promotional post on behalf of Prenuvo, one of a growing number of health startups offering MRIs they say can detect cancer and other chronic diseases, years before symptoms even begin.But with a hefty $2,500 price tag, the service - which is not covered by health insurance - is an indulgence only the privileged few can afford, prompting inevitable outrage across social media. Out-of-touch stars including Kim Kardashian, Rita Ora, Kate Hudson and British TV presenter Holly Willoughby have all faced heavy criticism for their willingness to promote the service - and even offering discount codes.Perhaps with a degree of foresight, Wilde, 41, ensured her comments were switched off before promoting the service to Instagram followers on Tuesday. Adopting a similar pose as her celebrity predecessors alongside the MRI scanner, she wrote: 'I did my second scan after doing it for the first time a year ago and - once again - I’m fascinated by the process and so grateful for the chance to know I’m healthy and my brain isn’t in fact melting and on fire despite the world being a clusterf*ck of doom. Olivia Wilde put herself in the firing line on Tuesday after becoming the latest in a growing line of celebrities to promote an MRI scan that is financially unattainable to most ordinary people The actress shared a promotional post on behalf of Prenuvo, one of a growing number of health startups offering MRIs they say can detect cancer and other chronic diseases'I highly recommend this if you’re curious. The experience is a breeze. I fell asleep in the MRI but then again I’m a freak. 'The radiologists are lovely and happy to explain your results in both medical terminology and English. With 1/20 Prenuvo patients being alerted to potentially life saving findings, it feels worth it.' As conditions like cancer rise throughout the US, particularly in younger people, companies offering the services claim the $2,500 price tags are worth it.But experts are raising serious doubts about whether there is any evidence they work and fear the scans - which are not covered by insurance - are cashing in on the paranoia of today's health-conscious populations.It has previously featured in a sponsored post on Kim Kardashian's Instagram page, where she described it as 'lifesaving'. Prenuvo has also been promoted by supermodel Cindy Crawford and her husband, Rande Gerber. The pair were pictured with their arms around each other while posing alongside the machine. However, experts have cautioned that the technology isn't worth it for the average patient in good health with no symptoms. MRI, which stands for magnetic resonance imaging, uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of organs, bones and other structures inside the body without using radiation. Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram about her full-body MRI scan from Prenuvo, claiming the technology is 'life saving.' However, doctors warn there is no evidence supporting it works Actor Eva Mendes has also undergone a Prenuvo full-body scan, though she acknowledged it was prohibitively expensive for most people Actor and singer Kate Hudson has also posted about her experience with the full-body scan Fans quickly took to social media to slam the star for being 'out of touch' with regular US citizens and lambasted her for ignoring the 'rip off' health system in the USA in the 'embarrassing' post What is the $2,499 Prenuvo scan? Prenuvo uses MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology which, using powerful magnetic fields and radio waves, scans the inside of the body to create detailed images of internal tissues.Different types of human cells react differently to the scan enabling radiographers to spot signs of health problems if tissues look different than expected.The device itself looks like a large tube which a patent lies down inside while the scan is conducted.Patients are normally given hearing protection as the device can be loud and are instructed to lie as still as possible. The scan itself is completely painless.Typically, MRI is used to examine specific tissues, like scanning a patient’s heart for a suspected birth defect or getting a detailed image of a tumour in a cancer patient to plan potential surgery.Prenuvo claims its MRI scans are customised for full-body scanning to get a higher-quality image, and faster, than most typical providers, enabling them to pick up potential health problems other scanners could miss.It also using the technology differently, looking for health problems pre-emptively rather than using them to examine or assess a specific condition or disease.Prenuvo offers various scans but its most comprehensive, and expensive, is the $2,499 (£1,964) ‘Whole Body Scan’ which includes an evaluation of the results.It’s not without critics, however. In August las year, medics warned there is no evidence the scans have any clinical benefit and instead prey on the worried-well. British TV presenter Holly Willoughby left fans unimpressed after she showed off her recent £1,495 private healthcare treatmentThey are typically ordered to help diagnose cancer, brain injuries, damaged blood vessels and other medical conditions. Full-body scans can take an hour or more, with patients lying motionless inside a cylindrical tube.Most experts only recommend routine, full-body scans for certain high-risk groups, such as people who have a heightened genetic risk of cancer.Dr Ernest Hawk, a vice president at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, told AP: 'MRIs are great for what they're typically used for.'But now you´re moving them much earlier into an average risk population, and that's where you can run into these questions that haven't been answered.'Dr Mina Makary, a radiologist at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, said the likelihood of finding a serious problem, such as a cancerous tumor or brain aneurysm, in someone with no symptoms is low.Definitively ruling out a problem could require additional tests, appointments and even surgeries.'You're going to end up finding a lot of incidental things, she said. 'That´s going to create more psychological stress or trauma for the patient, including additional costs for tests and procedures that may have risks.' Rita Ora has been slammed by fans for promoting a $2,499 radiation-free MRI scan which the 'vast majority of people can't afford' Rita, whose mother Vera previously battled breast cancer, said she believes in 'doing anything she can' to keep herself healthy as a result Rita received harsh criticism from fans who pointed out the scan will mostly be used by the 'wealthy' and not ordinary peopleExperts also worry people who undergo MRI scans may start skipping other routine exams, such as mammograms.The American College of Radiology does not recommend MRI screening in people without symptoms, stating there is 'no documented evidence' the technique is 'cost-efficient or effective in prolonging life.'And the FDA has not approved any MRI machines for preventive screening, but doctors are free to use the devices however they choose.'This is not an appropriate screening tool for a multiplicity of human illnesses and potentially emergent conditions,' Dr Stuart Fischer, internal medicine physician in New York, previously told DailyMail.com. 'It's not a screening tool.' Dr Fischer said preventative MRIs do not show many diseases that are on the rise in the US, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, and high cholesterol. For example, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates diabetes accounted for more than 400,000 deaths worldwide in 2021. Gwyneth Paltrow underwent a body scan to detect health issues before symptoms appear in another effort toward the Goop owner's 'longevity routine' The 51-year-old wellness enthusiast - who recently celebrated her daughter's 20th birthday - took to her Instagram Story on Wednesday to document her whole body MRI scan'A screening MRI will not see these at any time,' Dr Fischer said. Prenuvo recently announced plans to screen 100,000 people and study their health over time. The study isn't expected to wrap up until at least 2034.Most people enrolling in Prenuvo's study are expected to pay a $2,200 fee. But eventually academic or government studies could offer individuals a chance to participate in such research without paying out-of-pocket.'This is a great area in which to participate in a research study that might provide the information you´re seeking, while also helping answer whether this is beneficial or not,' Dr Hawk said. 'But doing so outside of a study makes no sense.'
