Health Care Without the Wait
Whole body MRI
A whole body MRI is one screening scan of your brain, spine and major organs, done in about an hour, with no radiation. It goes looking for problems before you have symptoms: some cancers, aneurysms and other conditions that are easier to deal with when found early. We help Canadians gain access to private health care and insurance, and below are the whole body MRI options Canadians ask us about most, with their listed prices.
What It Looks For
One scan, a wide net
The scan images your brain, spine, chest, abdomen and pelvis in a single session. Here is what it is looking for.
Some cancers, early
Tumours in organs like the pancreas, kidneys and liver can grow quietly for years. A whole body MRI can catch some of them while they are still small.
Aneurysms
Bulges in blood vessels, including in the brain and the aorta, often have no symptoms until they are dangerous. The scan can find them while they can still be watched or treated.
Spine and organs
The scan also pictures your spine, liver, kidneys and other major organs, and flags cysts, lesions and other changes worth a closer look.
No radiation
MRI uses magnets, not X-rays, so there is no radiation exposure. Most screening scans are done without contrast dye.
Your Options
Whole body MRI options and prices
There are two ways to get scanned: stay in Canada, or cross the border to Buffalo, where clinics price for private-pay patients and appointments open up within days. The options below are labelled by route, and the section after them compares the two side by side.
Simply MRI, Toronto: $2,500
Route: in Canada · Toronto
A whole body MRI clinic on Bathurst Street in Toronto. Its Whole-Body MRI is listed at $2,500 for a scan of about 90 minutes, and a shorter Whole-Body Light scan is listed at $1,500, at about 45 minutes. These are listed prices, to confirm when you book.
Canmax Medical Imaging, Buffalo:
$2,750 + HST
Route: cross-border · Buffalo, New York
Canadian-owned Canmax Medical Imaging arranges full body MRIs at clinics in Buffalo, New York, just across the Niagara border, with a Canadian office in Hamilton, Ontario, and appointments often within 48 hours. Its full body MRI is $2,750 Canadian, plus HST.
Prenuvo, Vancouver: $2,999
Route: in Canada · Vancouver
Prenuvo is the best-known whole body MRI name. Its Whole Body Scan takes about 45 to 50 minutes and is listed at $2,999 Canadian. Prenuvo’s Canadian clinic is in Vancouver, and it also has clinics across the United States.
Prices are per person and can change; we confirm the current price before anything is booked.
Two Routes
Stay in Canada, or cross to Buffalo?
Both routes get you the same kind of scan. The difference is where you go, how fast you get in, and what the trip involves.
Stay in Canada
Simply MRI in Toronto lists its full Whole-Body scan at $2,500 and a shorter Light scan at $1,500. Prenuvo, the best-known name, lists $2,999 at its Vancouver clinic. No border crossing, no passport, and your report comes from a Canadian clinic.
Best if: staying in Canada matters more to you than getting in this week.
Cross to Buffalo
Canmax Medical Imaging is a Canadian company, based in Hamilton, that books Canadians into imaging clinics in Buffalo, New York, about a two-hour drive from Toronto. A full body MRI is $2,750 plus HST, and appointments are often available within 48 hours. You need a valid passport, and you drive across and back the same day.
US clinics compete for private-pay patients, so on targeted MRIs and CT scans the Buffalo prices drop well below Canadian private rates. On a full body scan the price lands in the same range as Toronto, and the real advantage is speed.
Best if: you want to be scanned this week and the drive does not bother you.
The Honest Limits
What a whole body MRI cannot do
A whole body MRI is a screening tool, not a diagnosis, and it does not replace targeted screening like mammograms or colonoscopies. Incidental findings are common: a scan will often spot something, most often a harmless cyst or a normal variation, and some findings lead to follow-up testing, cost and worry before they are cleared. No scan sees everything, and a clear scan is not a guarantee. We think it can be worth doing with eyes open, and we will tell you if we do not think it fits your situation.
How It Works
Working with us is straightforward
01
Talk to us first
We go over what you want the scan to answer, your history, and which option fits your location and budget.
02
We book the scan
We arrange the appointment and confirm the price, the preparation, and how your results are delivered.
03
Results and follow-up
A radiologist reads the scan and you get a written report. We help you line up follow-up for anything that needs it.
What does a whole body MRI scan?
Your brain, spine, chest, abdomen and pelvis in one session, looking for tumours, aneurysms and other changes before symptoms appear. Most scans take about 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the provider.
Does it use radiation?
No. MRI uses magnets and radio waves, not X-rays, so there is no radiation exposure.
How much does a whole body MRI cost in Canada?
Listed prices run from $1,500 for a shorter scan in Toronto to $2,999 for Prenuvo’s Whole Body Scan in Vancouver. Canmax in Buffalo lists a full body MRI at $2,750 Canadian plus HST. We confirm the current price before you book.
What happens if the scan finds something?
Most findings turn out to be harmless, but some need a closer look with targeted imaging or a specialist. You get a written report, and we help you arrange the follow-up rather than leaving you with a report and questions.
Is a whole body MRI covered by OHIP?
No. It is a private screening service. It is an eligible medical expense, so a health care spending account may reimburse it, depending on your plan.
Why do people cross to Buffalo for an MRI?
Speed and price. Buffalo clinics price for private-pay patients and hold open capacity, so appointments are often available within 48 hours, and targeted MRIs and CT scans are often priced well below Canadian private rates. Canmax Medical Imaging, a Canadian company based in Hamilton, arranges the booking. You drive across the border with a valid passport and come home the same day.
Do I need a passport for the Buffalo option?
Yes. The scan takes place in Buffalo, New York, so you need a valid passport to cross the border. The drive from Toronto is about two hours each way and the appointment itself takes a few hours, so most people make it a day trip.
Get started
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