Whole body magnetic resonance or MRI scanning is now being seen as a tool to accurately assess the possible spread of cancer even when there are no other symptoms. MRI scans use powerful magnets to create images of the body, are non-radiating in nature and are therefore safe and non carcinogenic.
Using MRIs, it is possible to check if breast cancer has spread from the breast tissue to the bones even when there are no other symptoms of such a spread, according to an Indian study.
Dr. Joshita Singh of the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research Center in Pune, India, who led the study, said that using this method, it was possible to detect metastases early on. This makes it possible to offer follow up treatment effectively to cancer patients according to the doctor.
This method also cuts out the dangers posed by conventional imaging such as CT scans and computed tomography and the radiation from them. Of the 99 subjects of the study, 47 patients accurately showed that the cancer had spread. Many of those that tested positive were not experiencing any other symptoms but the spread was detected by the whole body MRI scan.