Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Prenuvo opening soon in downtown Bethesda


Prenuvo
is opening soon at 7106 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The Vancouver, B.C.-based medical imaging start-up's clinic will be located in a former auto dealership showroom. Co-founded by radiologist Dr. Raj Attariwala, and named for a childhood friend who died from stage 4 metastatic colon cancer, Prenuvo's concept is that the imaging center should be your first - not second - stop in healthcare. Instead of being the place you are sent for tests by your doctor after an initial physical, Prenuvo offers a $2499 full-body MRI scan designed to detect tumors, abscesses, aneurysms, herniated disks, skeletal abnormalities, evidence of past or imminent strokes, multiple sclerosis, and other ailments that might otherwise be missed in a routine physical exam.


The Prenuvo MRI technology is designed to be faster than a traditional MRI machine. Prenuvo also claims its proprietary MRI software creates more accurate and complete imaging than a regular MRI scanner. The company is also making intensive use of artificial intelligence in its studies of health and medical conditions, and suggests AI may replace some radiologists in the future.

Maria Menounos at Bethesda Row
in 2014

Prenuvo has attracted attention via celebrity patients like Kim Kardashian and Maria Menounos. While many Prenuvo scanning sessions have wound up as yet another photo op for celebrity influencers on Instagram, the Prenuvo scan did detect Menounos' pancreatic cancer at an early stage, which she has credited for a successful treatment. Critics of the company have countered that most people, unlike celebrities, cannot afford the Prenuvo tests. Health insurance does not cover the Prenuvo scans, but the company says it offers financing, and notes that the cost of the scans is "typically tax-deductible."




3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can deduct healthcare expenses from your taxes as long as they (in total, for the year) are above the 2% floor for AGI. Check with your tax attorney

shanel said...

$2499 full-body MRI scan designed to detect a whole range of stuff that might be wrong with us that doctors can't see otherwise. Insurance won't pay to find tumors, abscesses, aneurysms, herniated disks, skeletal abnormalities, evidence of past or imminent strokes, multiple sclerosis, and other ailments that might otherwise be missed in a routine physical exam. How does that make any sense to our society.

It seems that maybe we don't value our Boomers near as much as we should.

Anonymous said...

@2:39 You make absolutely no sense in what you said.