Getting a full-body MRI often finds weird little things that aren’t actually a problem, which can lead to more tests and stress — but we don’t yet know if all this causes more harm than good.

When healthy people without symptoms get a full-body MRI scan, doctors often find weird little things that aren’t actually harmful—but those findings can lead to more tests and stress that might not be needed.

When people who feel fine get a full-body MRI scan, they often find weird little things that aren’t cancer—but those weird finds happen more often than actual cancers are discovered.

When doctors scan someone’s whole body for research, they sometimes find unexpected things — and more than half the time, they can’t tell if those things are harmless or dangerous without doing more tests.

Using a full-body MRI scan on people who feel fine can sometimes find hidden health problems they didn’t know they had—and some of those problems might need a doctor’s attention.

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.