A special type of full-body scan that doesn’t use radiation can find serious health problems that aren’t cancer—like bulging blood vessels, harmless lumps, liver issues, or lung infections—and sometimes leads doctors to take action.

A special type of full-body MRI scan found cancer in 2.2% of healthy or slightly symptomatic adults between 35 and 79, and even more often in people over 65 — suggesting it might catch cancers that regular screenings usually miss.

Using whole-body MRI to screen everyone for cancer isn't a good idea right now because it often misses cancers, finds too many harmless things that cause worry, isn't done the same way everywhere, and we don't know if it actually helps people live longer or healthier lives.

When doctors didn’t have a regular test to check for cancer, a special full-body MRI scan found cancer in nearly 7 out of 10 people—so it might help catch cancers that other tests miss.

Using a full-body MRI scan might help find cancers in body parts where doctors don’t normally screen people, like without a regular test.

Using a full-body MRI scan on people who feel fine can find hidden health problems that doctors might need to treat—before those people start feeling sick.