Full-body MRI in Zurich

Choosing a package comes down to how thorough you want your check-up to be. Here's how the three compare.

Full-body MRI

Best for: A structural baseline of your body.

• What it covers: A full-body MRI of your essential organs and spine, checking for hidden risks like cancers, aneurysms, fatty liver or disc protrusions.
• Good to know: A good starting point if you're under 40, or if you already have recent blood test results.

Full-body MRI Advanced

Best for: Anyone who wants a thorough, all-round check-up. Our most popular package.

• Structure: Everything in the Full-body MRI, plus body composition analysis and imaging of the prostate (men) or ovaries and uterus (women).
• Function: Our blood test with 80+ biomarkers, covering heart and metabolic health, inflammation, organ function, immune health and nutrients.
• Why it's the all-rounder: The MRI shows how your organs look, the blood test shows how your body is working. Together they give you a comprehensive picture of your health.

Full-body MRI Pro

Best for: Specific concerns on top of the all-round check-up.

• What it adds: Everything in Full-body MRI Advanced, plus AI brain volumetry, high-resolution hip and knee MRI, a hormone panel, B-vitamins and, for men, PSA.
• Worth it if: You're thinking about your cognitive health or dementia runs in your family, you have joint pain or put a lot of load on your joints, or you want to look into fatigue or hormonal changes.

If you're 40 or older and want a thorough check-up, Full-body MRI Advanced is usually the right fit. Under 40 with no specific concerns, the Full-body MRI is generally enough. Still unsure? Schedule a free advisory call and we are happy to help.

A full-body MRI shows how your organs and spine look, in one visit and without radiation. It sees things a blood test or a routine check-up can't:

• Many organs in one scan. Cancers of the kidney or liver, for example, are each rare, but checking many organs at once adds up. In studies of people without symptoms, about 1 in 100 had a cancer found, most at an early stage.
• Your spine. Disc wear, herniations and a narrowed spinal canal, which are common causes of back pain.
• Silent conditions. Fatty liver, which every package measures, and aneurysms usually cause no symptoms for a long time.

Most people get a clear result, and that is reassuring in itself. If you scan with us again later, the radiologist can take your earlier images into account where a comparison is needed or helpful.

The scan does not replace mammography, colon cancer screening or a visit to your doctor for symptoms. Read more about what the scan sees well and where it is limited.

A full-body MRI is generally suitable for anyone who wants a complete picture of their health. But it's especially valuable for people with certain backgrounds or concerns:

• Individuals with a family history of cancer, cardiovascular conditions, or neurological disorders.
• People whose close relatives have experienced serious illnesses like heart attacks, strokes, aneurysms (especially cerebral), or cancer.
• Anyone seeking a holistic health assessment beyond standard blood tests and routine examinations.
• Athletes and physically active individuals who want detailed insight into their musculoskeletal system.

If you have symptoms, please see your GP first. A screening MRI does not replace a targeted diagnostic examination.

The MRI scans from head to thighs (not head to toe: feet, lower legs, and hands are not included). In every package, we assess the brain, spine and organs down to the pelvis. The images also show your hips, your thighs and often your knees: we report anything obvious we see there, but these areas are not specifically assessed. Full-body MRI Pro adds dedicated imaging of the hips and knees so they can be assessed in detail. Here's what each package covers:

• Full-body MRI: brain, spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), neck, chest, abdomen (liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, adrenal glands), and pelvis (bladder, reproductive organs).
• Full-body MRI Advanced: everything in the Full-body MRI, plus prostate (men) or endometrium/uterus (women), body composition analysis (fat and muscle distribution), and spine muscle assessment.
• Full-body MRI Pro: everything in Full-body MRI Advanced, plus brain volumetry (AI-measured brain region volumes) and dedicated imaging of the hips (labrum, cartilage, joint structure) and knees (meniscus, ligaments, cartilage).

Our MRI does not cover arms, hands, lower legs below the knee, or feet. If you need imaging of extremities, your GP can refer you for a targeted MRI.

See the full package comparison for a side-by-side view of what's included in each tier.

Yes, for many cancers, though not all. A full-body MRI is a radiation-free scan of your body from head to thighs in one session. In a study of more than 2,000 people without symptoms who chose a whole-body MRI, about 1 in 100 were found to have cancer, and most of these cancers were at an early stage. Combined with advanced blood tests and AI analysis, it offers one of the most comprehensive early-detection approaches available.

Where it works well

• Brain and spine: MRI is the standard test for brain tumours.
• Kidneys, liver, spleen and adrenal glands: solid masses usually stand out clearly, even before they cause symptoms. Some need a follow-up scan with contrast to tell what they are.
• Pelvis: masses of the bladder, uterus and ovaries. With the dedicated prostate or endometrium sequence (in Full-body MRI Advanced and Pro, or as an add-on), it also looks for prostate cancer and endometrial cancer.
• Bones and lymph nodes: diffusion imaging helps show tumours in the bone marrow and enlarged lymph nodes.

Where it is limited

• Pancreas: cysts and larger masses show up, but very small tumours can be missed.
• Lungs: small nodules are seen better on a low-dose CT, the recommended test for long-term heavy smokers.
• Thyroid: small nodules are assessed better with ultrasound.
• Stomach and bowel: early cancers and polyps are usually not visible, so colon cancer screening is still needed.
• Breasts: the full-body scan is not a breast examination. Mammography or our Mamma MRI add-on is.
• Skin cancer and leukaemia cannot be seen on MRI.

What to expect

Our scan follows the international ONCO-RADS recommendations for whole-body MRI, which do not use a contrast agent. Every finding is graded on the ONCO-RADS scale from 1 to 5, and our doctors explain what it means for you. In the study above, about 96 in 100 people had no finding that needed further tests. Some people need a follow-up scan or test, and many of these findings turn out to be harmless. A clear result is reassuring, but it does not rule out cancer developing later. The scan also does not replace the screening your doctor recommends, such as mammography, colon cancer screening or cervical screening.

Many Swiss supplementary insurance plans cover part of the cost of the blood panel, and some cover most of it, up to a cap. For MRI, coverage is generally more limited: depending on the plan, it ranges from nothing up to CHF 1'500. How much you get back depends on your specific plan. Use our coverage checker to check your coverage instantly. You can also request a pro forma invoice there to confirm your coverage directly with your insurer.

Yes. If the radiologist sees something that needs a closer look, your report explains what it is and what the recommended next step is. Findings that could be cancer are graded on ONCO-RADS, an international scale from 1 to 5 for how likely a finding is to be cancer.

You can go through your results with a doctor from our team, usually by video call. This consultation is included with every MRI check-up. Not every finding is a concern: some need no action, some only a check later on, and some need a further scan, sometimes with a contrast agent, to find out what they are.

If you need a follow-up scan or a specialist appointment, our team can help you book it directly within our partner network. You can also take your report to your own GP.

Our partner centres use modern scanners, many with a wide opening for more space and comfort. If you have claustrophobia, tell us when you book and we'll help you choose a suitable location.

To help ease claustrophobia, we offer mirror goggles that allow you to see outside the scanner. At our Hirslanden location in Zurich, you can also watch a soothing video or images. For certain parts of the scan protocol, we also provide a breathing script to guide you.

You can also book a free consultation call with us before scheduling your scan to discuss any personal needs or anxieties.

Currently, we do not offer open or upright MRI options, but this is something we are considering for the future.