As whole-body scans become increasingly popular-sometimes even offered as corporate wellness gifts-a growing debate is emerging within the medical community regarding their true value and potential harms. While marketed as proactive health assessments, some physicians argue these scans can lead to unnecessary anxiety, costly follow-up procedures, and a shift away from proven preventative measures like diet and exercise. This piece explores one doctor’s experience with a patient’s “gifted” scan and questions whether the pursuit of early detection is, in some cases, creating patients rather than preventing disease.
The increasing use of full-body scans may lead to the creation of unnecessary patient anxiety and follow-up procedures, according to some physicians. “True prevention rarely lies within a scanner,” says Dr. Victoria Veenis. “It’s found in exercise, quitting smoking, healthy eating, and many other things that aren’t as glamorous as a shiny MRI scan.”
I stared, somewhat stunned, at the CD a patient recently handed me. It was tied with a ribbon and included a card that read:
“Sometimes you feel nothing, but one examination can make all the difference. The best Christmas gift: knowing where you stand in time.”
For her, it was a Christmas gift. For me, it represented the potential for worry sparked by a Total Body Scan – marketed by some providers as a “check-up” for the body.
I inserted the CD into the computer and reviewed the radiological findings. The report indicated a 5-millimeter atypical pulmonary nodule – a small spot on the lung. I then spoke with the patient, who had been referred to me due to shortness of breath.
A Gifted Scan
“The scan already showed it, so I know what you’re going to tell me,” she said, tearfully. “I’m glad I caught it in time.” She began to hyperventilate. As I tried to calm her, she explained that she received the Prescan as part of her company’s Christmas gift package this year.
True prevention rarely lies within a scanner
After all bloodwork results were available, and I reviewed her chest X-ray and electrocardiogram, I concluded there was no immediate explanation for her breathing difficulties. With a sense of unease, I returned to the patient to discuss the results, anticipating the challenge of reassuring her.
My instincts proved correct, and I quickly arranged a follow-up CT scan as a precaution.
A Growing Trend
I shared my frustrations with colleagues, but found many of my peers actually support these preventative scans.
“It’s kind of nice to know,” one remarked.
And I don’t understand why.
I can partially relate to that sentiment. Who wouldn’t want to know how their body is functioning? A quick look under the hood, and then move on.
No.
Based on years of medical knowledge, that sense of security is often illusory. As Bernard Leenstra recently pointed out, we’ve shifted from caring *for* people to acting *on* fear – from healthcare to a marketplace.
Creating Patients
The more we search in people without symptoms, the greater the chance we’ll find something that would never have caused a problem. A spot. A shadow. We aren’t preventing disease; we’re creating patients and calling it prevention. This practice can lead to unnecessary anxiety and further testing, potentially impacting both individual well-being and healthcare resources.
Of course, there’s always that one story – the neighbor who “caught it just in time.” That’s precisely the narrative this industry relies on.
And how often should such a scan be repeated? Annually? Or does it stop once you’re reassured, even though no single scan can rule everything out?
But even physicians aren’t immune to this mindset. Especially younger doctors, raised in an era where everything seems measurable and controllable, and certainty is the norm. Perhaps this generation will be the one to say: just because something *can* be done, doesn’t mean it *should* be.
Because true prevention rarely lies within a scanner. It’s found in exercise, quitting smoking, healthy eating, and many other things that aren’t as glamorous as a shiny MRI scan.
I removed the CD from the computer, retied the ribbon, and handed it back to the patient.
Is this how we want to shape preventative medicine? As a young doctor, I know the answer. I would have donated this Christmas gift to a charity.
