6 ms·

MRIs would need to take a fraction of the time for this to be viable.

derefr 4y ago
Or, y'know, we could have 10x more MRI machines, thus incentivizing them to be cost-optimized in ways they absolutely aren't today.
- Broken_Hippo 4y ago
  That's not really going to help. For an MRI, you have to lay there being still, and for some you have to hold your breath, all while in a loud little tube. I have to get a couple every year, and I*m lucky not to find them too uncomfortable. Some folks, though, would have serious issues with the cage over your head when you get your brain scanned: Your brain and spinal column will take 45 minutes, as will other areas. You will need to be repositioned often, adding and removing things to get the pictures of all the areas. In other words, you'll need an entire day off to do this if it is even possible for you to lay there for so long in one event, even if you get breaks. And for some folks it is going to be hours of torture. More MRI machines won't solve the issue.
likeabbas 4y ago
Not necessarily, we just need cheaper ones. I interviewed at Hyperfine last year and they seemed to have a promising product https://hyperfine.io/ https://hyperfine.io/
throwaway09223 4y ago
No they don't. I would happily take a few hours each year to get an MRI done. We would need more machines, but even now the prices aren't too exorbitant for something done annually (or- even every few years)
- lazyasciiart 4y ago
  20% of americans havent even seen a doctor in the last year. MRI prices for a fun test are far beyond a huge percentage of the country. https://civicscience.com/20-u-s-adults-not-seen-doctor-past-year/ https://civicscience.com/20-u-s-adults-not-seen-doctor-past-...
  - cableshaft 4y ago
    Yeah I think my last MRI was $800, with insurance. And they didn't find anything. I'm not exactly champing at the bit to spend the money to do that every year. If it were $50-100, maybe then.
    - throwaway09223 4y ago
      Everything's relative. I've had about 8 MRIs in the last few years. I also wouldn't bat an eye at spending $1k on preventative care each year. Many Americans are paying that annually for premium TV shows.
      - cableshaft 4y ago
        I've had like 4 MRI's total. The most recent one was I had a scare about a possible aneurism, which is what they didn't find anything for, and then had a couple for looking at my neck and back, where they found two bulging disks, one in the middle of my back and one in my lower back. And they had to check my leg for something once, maybe blood clots? I haven't needed to get one for several years now. MRI's don't seem that great for an annual preventative check, since they are usually checking a pretty small area (or at least mine were). Like those were 4 different MRI's to check me from head to one of my calves. Getting 4+ of those a year would add up quick. And that's not even taking into account any of a myriad of other tests that could be done every year. I'm sure I could probably take a different test every week of the year, but I'd be bankrupt quick.
        throwaway09223 4y ago
        Why would you jump to an absurd scenario like one every week? It would be an enormous benefit to do one MRI a year, rotating between areas of interest, at a relatively negligible cost ($500-1k or so per year - about what it costs for an annual physical). It's extremely cheap compared to your Dr's hourly billable rate and would get cheaper at scale.

Or, y'know, we could have 10x more MRI machines, thus incentivizing them to be cost-optimized in ways they absolutely aren't today.

Broken_Hippo 4y ago
That's not really going to help. For an MRI, you have to lay there being still, and for some you have to hold your breath, all while in a loud little tube. I have to get a couple every year, and I*m lucky not to find them too uncomfortable. Some folks, though, would have serious issues with the cage over your head when you get your brain scanned: Your brain and spinal column will take 45 minutes, as will other areas. You will need to be repositioned often, adding and removing things to get the pictures of all the areas. In other words, you'll need an entire day off to do this if it is even possible for you to lay there for so long in one event, even if you get breaks. And for some folks it is going to be hours of torture. More MRI machines won't solve the issue.

likeabbas 4y ago

Not necessarily, we just need cheaper ones. I interviewed at Hyperfine last year and they seemed to have a promising product https://hyperfine.io/ https://hyperfine.io/

throwaway09223 4y ago

No they don't. I would happily take a few hours each year to get an MRI done. We would need more machines, but even now the prices aren't too exorbitant for something done annually (or- even every few years)

lazyasciiart 4y ago
20% of americans havent even seen a doctor in the last year. MRI prices for a fun test are far beyond a huge percentage of the country. https://civicscience.com/20-u-s-adults-not-seen-doctor-past-year/ https://civicscience.com/20-u-s-adults-not-seen-doctor-past-...
- cableshaft 4y ago
  Yeah I think my last MRI was $800, with insurance. And they didn't find anything. I'm not exactly champing at the bit to spend the money to do that every year. If it were $50-100, maybe then.
  - throwaway09223 4y ago
    Everything's relative. I've had about 8 MRIs in the last few years. I also wouldn't bat an eye at spending $1k on preventative care each year. Many Americans are paying that annually for premium TV shows.
    - cableshaft 4y ago
      I've had like 4 MRI's total. The most recent one was I had a scare about a possible aneurism, which is what they didn't find anything for, and then had a couple for looking at my neck and back, where they found two bulging disks, one in the middle of my back and one in my lower back. And they had to check my leg for something once, maybe blood clots? I haven't needed to get one for several years now. MRI's don't seem that great for an annual preventative check, since they are usually checking a pretty small area (or at least mine were). Like those were 4 different MRI's to check me from head to one of my calves. Getting 4+ of those a year would add up quick. And that's not even taking into account any of a myriad of other tests that could be done every year. I'm sure I could probably take a different test every week of the year, but I'd be bankrupt quick.
      - throwaway09223 4y ago
        Why would you jump to an absurd scenario like one every week? It would be an enormous benefit to do one MRI a year, rotating between areas of interest, at a relatively negligible cost ($500-1k or so per year - about what it costs for an annual physical). It's extremely cheap compared to your Dr's hourly billable rate and would get cheaper at scale.