Full-body cardiovascular and tumor MRI for early detection of disease: Feasibility and initial experience in 298 subjects

OBJECTIVE. High diagnostic accuracy, emerging whole-body concepts, and lack of side effects combine to render MRI a natural candidate for screening purposes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of a comprehensive multi organ-targeting MRI examination and determine the frequency of findings in subjects without a history of serious disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. The study group was composed of 331 subjects. The MRI protocol (mean examination time, 63 min) encompassed the target organs: the brain, arterial system, heart, and colon. Diagnoses were deemed relevant if the physician had to inform the subject about the findings. Subjects with a history of serious illnesses were excluded from subsequent analysis (n = 33). All analyses were performed for the resulting subgroup of 298 subjects (247 men, 51 women; mean age, 49.7 years). RESULTS. All 298 examinations were diagnostic excluding eight MR colonography components in which remaining stool hampered reliable diagnosis. Follow-up or radiologic confirmation could be obtained in 75% of all cases with relevant findings (128/169); only one false-positive result was encountered. Of the study group, 21% exhibited signs of atherosclerotic disease. Two cerebral infarctions and one myocardial infarction, previously unknown, were encountered; 12% had peripheral vascular disease. Twelve colonic polyps and nine pulmonary lesions were correctly detected. Of all MRI examinations, 29% revealed relevant additional findings in nontargeted organs. Only one minor allergoid reaction was encountered. CONCLUSION. The presented data point toward an increased use of MRI for screening in the future, but to date screening MRI should not be performed outside a research setting because the cost-benefit relation is unclear.