Patients are discussing whole-body MRIs on Reddit, presenting opportunity for radiologists

Patients are discussing whole-body MRIs and preventive imaging on Reddit, with uncertainty presenting an opportunity for radiologists to assert their expertise, according to new research. 

Interest is growing in these elective exams, used to help root out diseases before they become symptomatic. Radiology researchers recently aimed to better understand public sentiment around whole-body MRIs, scouring the social media website for insights, sharing their findings in Clinical Imaging. 

“Reddit discussions demonstrate strong interest but substantial uncertainty regarding WB-MRI, highlighting opportunities for radiologists to engage online and support evidence-based public discussions about preventive imaging,” Michelle H. Lee, MD, with the Department of Radiology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and co-authors concluded. 

For the study, Lee and colleagues collected posts from Reddit containing terms such as “whole body MRI” or the names of two of the top providers of these exams (Ezra and Prenuvo). One reviewer screened posts for relevance, while two others independently classified them by user type, sentiment and thematic content. Altogether, they pinpointed nearly 3,100 relevant posts written by 1,932 unique Reddit users between 2013 and 2024. 

Postings peaked in August 2023, accounting for about 38% of all messages, following a viral endorsement from Kim Kardashian. Most users were from the general public (89%), while 5% were written by nonphysician healthcare professionals. Another 3% came from physicians outside the specialty, 2% by radiologists, and 1% from researchers. Overall, 47% of posters opposed WB-MRI, 25% favorited it, and 20% were neutral. Another 7% expressed mixed views about the exams. Only 4% of those posting said they had undergone a WB-MRI, and most of them described positive experiences. Common themes included early detection and preventive health (11%), information exchange (10%) and the cost of an exam (9%) (Prenuvo charges about $2,500). Ethical and health equity concerns (7%) and advertising practices (7%) also were popular topics. 

Lee and colleagues believe their findings signal the importance of how whole-body MRI information is shared with the public, as patients seek clarity and reassurance about these exams. 

“Radiologists are well-positioned to contribute evidence-based guidance, promote transparency, and help patients make informed decisions about their medical imaging,” they wrote. 

The study comes at the same time that two radiologists recently penned a high-profile editorial in JAMA, urging the public against utilizing whole-body MRIs. They noted that no major medical society supports WB-MRI in the general public, given the lack of clinical evidence.