It’s a Friday morning at 11 am, and I find myself sitting in a pair of scrubs, booties included, while I wait in a chic yet plush private waiting room, wondering – Should I go to the bathroom again? I am going to be held hostage in a human-sized test tube for almost an hour. It’s supposed to be loud, like really loud, and I cannot move. Ugh, bathroom or no bathroom? 

As I stand from my pastel pink chair and put down the knitted white pillow I have been hugging for comfort and warmth, I meet my assigned team member at the door. I guess there is no time for the bathroom. It’s now or never. My first MRI.

What led me here exactly? A health diagnosis? A concern? On the contrary, it was a desire to learn more – more about me, my body, and my health. That is where Prenuvo comes in. 

When it comes to our health, we usually hear the basics like eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise, and clocking at least eight hours of sleep every night. However, you may have also heard phrases like prevention is key. For most things in life, health included, it is usually best to be proactive instead of reactive. That is why I was so intrigued when I first heard about Prenuvo.

What is Prenuvo?

Our current healthcare system is designed to treat illness, not prevent it, but if prevention is key to most diseases and illnesses, how do you know where you, your body, and your health currently stand? Well, enter Prenuvo.

Prenuvo is a comprehensive whole-body MRI scan for preventative care. Cutting-edge, optimized MRI hardware and software coupled with Prenuvo’s AI research and the largest database of whole-body imaging in the world, lets you experience what it truly means to be proactive with your whole-body health. Instead of waiting for symptoms to appear before you know what is going on with your health, Prenuvo allows you to be proactive with your health and well-being, ultimately offering you peace of mind.

Prenuvo offers three types of scans: torso, head and torso, or their most comprehensive scan, the whole body scan, which assesses the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and legs. It captures millions of data points from head to ankle, including major organs, the brain, and the spine. Here is exactly what Prenuvo scans for:

• Solid tumors including those as early as stage 1
• Auto-immune disorders (Think of things like MS)
• Metabolic disorders like fatty liver and hemochromatosis
• Brain aneurysms
• Non-cancerous conditions such as cysts, hematomas, hemangiomas, and abscesses
• Spinal degeneration and other problems

All of the scans are FSA/HSA eligible while interest-free payment plans are also available.

Getting a Prenuvo Scan

So what is it like getting a Prenuvo scan? I was lucky enough to try a whole body scan for myself at the Chicago office and here is what my experience was like.

Before the Scan

First, decide which scan is best for you, though I highly recommend the whole-body scan. (Let’s be real, you are going to want to know what is going on in your entire body). Next, call or go online to book your scan. I recommend booking a scan first thing in the morning if possible. You need to fast four hours before your scan, which I personally think is easiest to do when you complete your scan first thing in the AM, but obviously it is dealer’s choice. 

After you book your scan, you will need to fill out some pretty extensive online intake forms. You probably need a solid 45-60 minutes, so make sure you have set aside an adequate amount of time to complete it. If not, you will have to do this at the office before your in-person appointment and that means showing up even earlier.

At least three days before your appointment, you will want to notify the office if you are interested in having a prescription sent to a pharmacy for anxiety. This light anti-anxiety medication that will help relax you in case you are uneasy completing an MRI. I originally said yes to having the prescription filled because I had never gotten an MRI before, so I was a little nervous, but I am also not big on taking medication unless I really need to, so ultimately, I opted out of taking it. If you do decide to take the prescription, you will need someone to drive you or you will need to take a ride share.

Lastly, you will want to decide what you may want to listen to or watch during your scan. That’s right. Prenuvo is not like other MRI machines. During your scan, you are given headphones so you can listen to music or a podcast. The scan also gives you the ability to watch a movie or television show, which you can also listen to through the headphones, so before you go to your scan make your selections so the front desk crew can have everything ready for you.

Day of the Scan

On the day of the scan, you will need to be at the office 30 minutes before your appointment to check in. When you first arrive at the office, you may be surprised to see that the space is carefully crafted and designed to put you at ease. It feels more like a spa than a medical setting. The staff is also great.

Once you are checked in, you will have the opportunity to pursue the beverage and snack stations throughout the office. Now remember, you still have to fast for four hours prior to your scan, but you can grab a chilled bottle of water and maybe eye up the snacks you’ll want to snag after your scan.

Next, you will be taken to your own private room to get ready. Curl up in a comfy chair and access the complimentary wifi to do some work or just sit and relax while you wait to be called back. You will also want to change into your scrubs. Underwear and socks stay on for the scan, but you will need to wear a pair of pants and a top, which will be provided by the office. Women will be given a sports bra to wear under their scrubs. You will also be given booties to put over your socks. Be sure to use the bathroom before you go back for your scan since you will be back there for about an hour.

If you come with a plus one, they can wait in the lobby, your room, or there is a VIP room where they can watch TV and work. They also have access to the snacks as well, because who doesn’t like snacks?

Once your attendant takes you back to your scan, they will explain the process and answer any questions you may have. It is incredibly cold in the scanning room, but they have blankets if you need them. Next, the attendant will offer you headphones and earplugs. MRI machines are loud and make a lot of funny noises, all of which are normal, but if you are like me and sensitive to sound, I would recommend opting for earplugs and headphones.

Once you are settled on the table, the attendant will put a pillow under your knees so you are comfortable. They will then place equipment around your legs, torso, and head in order to keep you still throughout the entire scan. If you have not received an MRI before, know that staying still is key. After you are comfortable, the attendant will give you a button to press which will allow you to speak with the attendant any time you like. It also allows you to signal if you want to be pulled out from the machine. This is obviously not ideal as you want to complete the entire scan, so if you fear the anxiety may get to you, maybe opt for that prescription. No shame in that game!

Finally, the attendant will adjust the lightning and mirror to your liking. I recommend keeping the lights off as it is much more relaxing and way less bright. If you are wondering about that mirror, it is the mirror that is placed above your face and reflected on the giant TV screen behind you. This is what allows you to watch your movies and television shows. Pretty neat, right? I did not know what to choose for my music or show, so I kept it simple and asked them to select a relaxing playlist from Spotify and they chose nature scenes for me to watch. Honestly, it was the most relaxing combination ever. If I did not have to stay awake for breathing exercises I would have fallen asleep, I was that relaxed. (And I do not like small spaces).

After all of that, the attendant will leave the room and get your scan started. Your attendant will usually check in about every five minutes to make sure you are doing alright and give you cues for a portion of the scan that requires you to hold your breath. For the breath holds, you will be cued on when to inhale, exhale, and hold, but be sure to actually hold your breath when they say hold. I made the mistake of taking a big breath and still exhaling when I was supposed to be holding. I probably had to redo six images, but basically, once they say hold, hold your breath, and do not move! 

The entire whole-body scan should take about 45-60 minutes and once you are done, your attendant will lead you back to your room to change and of course, gather up all of the snacks you may want. (All of the snacks please).

After the Scan

After the scan, you will check out and be given instructions on what to expect next. You’ll wait 1-2 weeks for your scan results, which will be emailed to you. At that time, you can log in to your Prenuvo account and review them. 

Once you get the download on everything in your body system by system including nervous, respiratory, circulatory, integumentary, endocrine, reproductive, urinary, musculoskeletal, and digestive. Findings will be labeled major, moderate, minor, and informational. You will be able to read each one of these and also view the corresponding images. An overall synopsis and report will be provided for you to read through as well.

After that, you will have the option to connect with a 20-minute phone call with a nurse practitioner to go over your full report or you can connect with a preventative medicine physician for a 45-minute call to discuss your scan’s findings.

You also have the option to share your scan results with any of your doctors. You can send them directly or the Prenuvo team can do that for you.

Was It Worth It?

After my scan, I received a lot of questions from family and friends about whether or not the scan was worth it or not and I told everyone that I would get back to them after my results came in. Though my results were just as good as you could hope for I would still highly recommend a Prenuvo scan.

PSA: No one comes out with a perfect scan, so do not think you are going to be the anomaly. If you did have a perfect scan, you would probably be stuck in a science lab and studied by medical scientists, so you kind of do not want that result, but I digress…

Whether you think you are in perfect health, worry about some symptoms you have been experiencing, or simply have a family history of something, the Prenuvo scan, and yes, the hefty price tag, is 100% worth the investment. Whether you continue to have a scan once a year or not, you at least have a snapshot of your health in a moment of time, which can then later be used for a point of comparison down the road at your next scan. 

For ASL readers interested in a deeper look at their health, Prenuvo is offering a $300 discount on Prenuvo’s full-body MRI scans. Use the discount code prenuvo.com/ASWEATLIFE when booking a whole-body scan and select the nearest clinic to you—the discount will be applied at checkout. Be sure to check them out @Prenuvo