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Frequently Asked Questions

Why sign up for an Pacific West Whole body scan and not use a third party company?

Three reasons:  cost, quality, and ease.

1. Pacific West members pay a lower price.  Instead of having a middle man markup we pass those savings on to you

2. Your scans is analyzed by our whole body specialist radiologist who can directly monitor scans while being performed by our technologist.  No two scans are the same.  By having in house radiologists there is higher quality control and better results of each scan.

3. We make it easy and comprehensive.  Scheduling imagery with Pacific West Whole Body doesn't require a medical referral and your Pacific West radiologist that read your scan will directly walk you through all your results and next steps instead of a independently contracted nurse practitioner.

What happens after my Pacific West Whole Body scan?

Once your detailed digital report is ready, your Pacific West reading radiologist will walk you through your results, with actionable next steps through a video zoom meeting.

Which Pacific West Whole Body Scan is best for me?

Pacific West offers 3 plan options designed to cater to your needs.  Each plan includes a comprehensive screening of the brain, kidneys, adrenal glands, thyroid, bladder, gallbladder, ovaries, pancreas, uterus, spleen, prostate, and liver.

Here are the differences:

Whole Body Express Scan:  This is our quickest and most affordable full body scan.  It is a 30-minute scan that uses our exclusive AI MRI technology to enhance MRI images acquired at faster speeds.

Whole Body Scan:  This is our most popular scan option.  It is a 60-minute MRI scan that also includes spine imaging and brain age.  

Do Pacific West Whole Body scans use ionizing radiation or contrast dyes?

Pacific West Whole Body scans do not expose you to harmful ionizing radiation that other imaging methods (X-ray, CT scans, PET scans) use.  Pacific West Whole Body scans also dont use intravascular constrast dyes.

Are there any restrictions on what I can drink on the day of the scan?

Yes.  You can drink water, tea or black coffee.  Depending on the scan you are taking, you will be in the MRI machine for up to 75 mins, so we recommend that you visit the restroom before going in.

What does a Pacific West Whole Body report contain?

We produce a detailed medical report for your physician that walks them through every system and organ in the body and identifies any abnormal findings we identify.  This is produced in a format that they are familiar with.

Do I need a referral for a Pacific West Whole Body scan?

We do not require a referral.  If required, we can arrange a referral from an independent medical practitioner at no cost to you.  It may seem like an unnecessary requirement, but it exists to look after you in the event there is a serious medical finding.  A medical practitioner can additionally assist you in understanding and contextualizing the findings in your Whole Body can report.  


Can I use my FSA/HSA?

Yes you can.  You can either pay with a FSA/HSA credit card or seek reimbursement via your FSA/HSA.

Do you use contrast in your MRIs?

No. Our screening scans are designed to be performed completely without IV-contrast. We believe that the comprehensiveness and diagnostic-grade quality of the combined imaging sequences utilized in our multiparametric MRI protocol maintains the sufficient level of sensitivity and specificity required for tumor-detection in the general population screening setting. We therefore do not administer any exogenous contrast agents for any of our scans (which are performed for general screening), as we do not find it of added value by routine. By avoiding IV-contrast administration (therefore avoiding any needles and injections), we also avoid the degree of invasiveness associated with other imaging procedures that do require contrast; similarly we also avoid the risks of any adverse reactions (such as allergic reactions) or potential longer-term toxicity effects that are rarely associated with use of IV-contrast agents.

How are you different from other “Full Body Scan” services?
 
What sets us prominently apart from other “Full Body Scan” services is that we are led by a unique synergistic team of pioneers in clinical radiology and MRI-technology. Specifically, we have innovated a custom Whole-Body MRI (WB-MRI) protocol optimizing for maximal utility in the preventive healthcare screening setting.

In contrast to some other Full Body Scan approaches, which may involve components from other modalities (such as CT of the chest) and/or separate segmental MRI exams which might not get holistically evaluated or which also may not fully include some intervening anatomical regions, our protocol relies solely on MRI-techniques alone. We utilize dedicated multiparametric WB-MRI techniques in conjunction with carefully selected relevant high-yield organ-specific sequences obtained in a single rapid image acquisition procedure. This enables a convenient, comfortable experience for the patient, as well as superior holistic “Full Body Scan” radiological interpretation capabilities. 

In developing this protocol and the specialized techniques involved, our team has emphasized image acquisition speed without comprising comprehensiveness or diagnostic quality of the obtained images, which is the typical tradeoff in MRI when attempting to image faster and with larger fields of view. To maximize the amount of clinically valuable proactive information from the WB-MRI scan – such as maximizing the overall sensitivity and specificity of the scan (thereby minimizing false positive and false negative rates) for conditions like suspected cancer findings, brain aneurysm, and fatty liver— it is essential to utilize a comprehensive multiparametric MRI approach. 

Similar to utilizing different filters on a camera lens to capture different color properties of a scene into a photograph, multiparametric MRI acts as a filter for capturing different properties of the tissue being imaged. Beyond simply acquiring images that in sum cover most of your body’s anatomy to simply be able to offer a “Full Body Scan” product, we take particular pride in the quality and comprehensiveness of our images from our Prenuvo WB-MRI scan protocol for their maximal diagnostic and clinical utility in the screening setting. Additionally, our radiologists are uniquely specialized in the science and clinical art of whole-body screening radiology utilizing WB-MRI — which involves taking into account complexities from the individual patient’s perspective, the referring or treating physician’s perspective, and the healthcare system’s perspective. Enriched by this special clinical experience, our unique specialized radiology practice has grown into a completely patient-centered radiological WB-MRI screening service (adept at handling and risk-stratifying the wide spectrum of possible findings that can be encountered on screening WB-MRI). Due to our emphasis on diagnostic quality, clinical utility, and patient experience, this service has been very well-received by our proactive-minded patients and referring providers.

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