How to implement a radiologist led whole-body MRI screening program
Andrea S Kierans, Keith D Hentel, Katerina Dodelzon, George Shih, Martin R Prince, Joshua Lantos, Melissa K Frey, Ravi N Sharaf, Robert J Min, Preethi Guniganti
Radiol Adv. 2026 Mar 10;3(2):umag014. doi: 10.1093/radadv/umag014. eCollection 2026 Mar.
Abstract
Screening whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) is gaining increasing attention as a tool for early disease detection, with growing adoption driven largely by consumer demand and direct-to-consumer private platforms. While WB-MRI has demonstrated utility in high-risk populations, its use in asymptomatic individuals remains controversial due to concerns about low diagnostic yield, false positives, overdiagnosis, and the lack of survival outcome data. Despite these limitations, the popularity of WB-MRI is expected to rise given the aging population and aggressive marketing by direct-to-consumer companies, underscoring the need for thoughtful and proactive engagement by radiologists. Radiologists have an obligation to ensure that scientific rigor, ethical oversight, and multidisciplinary collaboration guide the expansion of WB-MRI. This review outlines the current evidence and evolving landscape of screening WB-MRI, describes the development and implementation of a program within an academic radiology practice, and discusses the downstream implications and cost-effectiveness of WB-MRI screening. As this technology continues to expand beyond traditional indications, radiologists must play a leading role in defining best practices and ensuring that implementation remains evidence-based, transparent, and patient-centered.