COMARE Report Highlights Benefits Of Radiation-Free Screening, UK

Main Category: MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Also Included In: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine
Article Date: 21 Dec 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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This week COMARE (the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment) unveiled its latest report into irradiated scanning of asymptomatic patients - with recommendations that full-body CT scans of the healthy be stopped with immediate effect. Whilst COMARE's comments are bound to cause concern for many in the health industry, the findings actually support the decision by West London clinic Preventicum to eliminate radiation from its check-ups since its inception in 2005.

Preventicum offers the safest and most technologically advanced full-body check-ups in Europe, which includes focused, radiation-free MRI scanning of key areas, with no attendant health risks for the patients. MRI scanning uses magnetic resonance to generate detailed images of the inside of the body - a safe alternative to CT scans and x-rays, and one which is endorsed by COMARE.

Doctor Garry Savin, Medical Director of Preventicum, feels passionately that health checks are essential to ward off potential ill-health: ""At Preventicum the centre piece of our full-body MOT is a unique state-of-the-art MRI scan, which is completely x-ray free. It is clean technology. Multislice CT scans and the older, almost obsolete EBCT scans all work on the basis of x-ray radiation. A similar screen to ours would therefore expose a person to what I would say is a relatively large dose of x-rays, equal to several hundred chest x-rays all in one hit. The potential long-term effects of this must be considered, and I am delighted that COMARE have investigated the potentially life-threatening consequences. If screening is to be most effective, these scans would have to be repeated at regular intervals, and I personally would not undergo a CT or EBCT scan for screening reasons, whereas I would have a radiation-free MRI scan. It makes perfect sense. Why expose yourself to a large dose of radiation when there is a cleaner, safer alternative?"

The Ultimate Check-Up from Preventicum augments the standard blood and urine tests with stress tests and ECGs, as well as thorough ultrasound examinations and a focused MRI scan of key target areas such as the brain, colon, heart structure and function and the arterial network. Anomalies are uncovered in approximately 20% of visitors to the clinic, which proves the benefit of preventive health screening. That Preventicum can continue its good work safely and efficiently is an added incentive for those in the know to take stock of their health.

http://www.preventicum.com

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