A startup company offering whole-body MRI scans powered by artificial intelligence continues to expand, despite concerns raised by radiologists and other physicians.
The Boston Globe recently profiled Prenuvo, which is based in California and says it’s “on a mission to allow consumers to take charge of their health.” Back in October, the company made a splash by raising $70 million from venture capital firm Felicis and super model/wellness investor Cindy Crawford, among others, Radiology Business reports.
Prenuvo is now ramping up expansion with plans to launch in Boston, along with other upcoming openings in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, New York City, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Toronto. That’s in addition to already-operating outposts in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Boca Raton, Dallas, Vancouver and Minneapolis.
However, some are expressing concern that the service could cause more harm than good. Catherine Livingston, MD, a family medicine specialist who served as lead author of a 2016 report recommending against this practice, is one such skeptic.
“There is certainly not enough known about the use of [artificial intelligence] in direct-to-consumer imaging services,” said Livingston, an associate professor of family medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine. “We don’t even know that the benefits outweigh harms for whole body scans in asymptomatic people. … AI is a Pandora’s box.” Read more.
