Full-Body MRI Screening: What It Can Find, What It Can Miss

Whole-body MRI can sometimes find important findings earlier, but it is not a substitute for evidence-based cancer screening and it is not a universal recommendation for every healthy person. In this episode, Dr. Hillary Lin speaks with Dr. A. Alexander, a board-certified radiologist, former team physician for the Lakers and Dodgers, and CEO of CoreViva, about thin-slice MRI, early detection, false positives, incidental findings, cost, and patient selection.

The goal is not to say “everyone should get a scan.” The goal is to understand what full-body MRI may detect, what it can miss, why protocols and radiologist review matter, and how to think about follow-up with your own clinician. We also discuss why standard screening still matters: mammography/breast imaging when appropriate, colonoscopy or stool-based colorectal screening, cervical cancer screening, lung CT for eligible high-risk patients, skin exams, and risk-based testing.