What a full body MRI costs in Sydney, and what radiologists say

What a scan costs in Sydney

OneMRI charges A$2,990 in total, paid in three steps. You pay a refundable deposit of A$100 to book, A$900 when you choose your scan date and A$1,990 after the scan [1]. The price covers a scan of 13 organs and systems, a written report from an Australian radiologist and a consultation with a doctor, at more than 50 clinics across the country [1].

Everlab charges about A$3,500 for people who are not members and about A$3,000 for members, all inclusive [2]. Its scan pairs a full body MRI with a low dose CT scan of the chest, and the images are reviewed by radiologists and Everlab doctors. The MRI takes between 30 and 90 minutes depending on the areas scanned [2].

Prenuvo has an Australian site listing a 60 minute whole body scan at about A$3,000, and its only listed address is in Toorak, Melbourne, so a Sydney resident would travel for it [3].

For comparison, OneMRI notes that a private MRI of a single region, paid for yourself, often costs around A$400 to A$600 [1]. A targeted scan answers one question in more detail, and a full body scan looks more briefly at many areas.

Whether Medicare pays for a scan

Medicare pays no benefit for a health screening service, which Services Australia defines as a medical examination or test that is not reasonably required to manage the patient's medical condition [4]. A full body scan booked without symptoms falls outside Medicare for that reason.

OneMRI explains that Medicare rebates generally apply to a diagnostic MRI your doctor orders with a referral to investigate specific symptoms, and that its own scan sits outside Medicare [1]. Cover from private health insurance varies by fund and policy, so ask your insurer before you book.

Do you need a referral

The providers answer differently. OneMRI says no referral is needed to book [1]. Everlab states that a referral is required for its scan, and adds that the chest CT uses a small dose of ionising radiation [2]. If you have a symptom, see a doctor first, because a scan chosen to answer a specific question is a different and more detailed scan.

What radiologists say

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists does not recommend whole body MRI screening for people without symptoms who have not had cancer and do not carry an inherited syndrome that raises their cancer risk. Its position statement, approved on 4 July 2025, finds no evidence that the scan improves health outcomes in people without symptoms [5].

The college lists the risks plainly. A scan often finds something incidental, which can lead to worry, further tests including biopsies and substantial cost, and many of these findings are benign. Some serious conditions do not show on a whole body protocol at all, so a normal scan can give false reassurance. No study has yet confirmed that a normal whole body scan rules out significant disease 5 or more years later [5]. The college does see a role for whole body MRI in people with certain cancers or an inherited cancer syndrome.

How often a scan finds something

Findings are common. A review of 12 studies covering 5,373 adults without symptoms found that 32.1% had a finding a radiologist would class as critical or uncertain. Six of those studies reported false alarms, which made up 16.0% of findings [6].

Serious findings are rarer. A BMJ review of 32 studies and 27,643 adults found a potentially serious finding in 3.9% of brain and body scans, or 12.8% once findings of uncertain importance were added. Of the 234 findings that were followed up to a final diagnosis, 48 proved serious [7].

A scan suits someone who wants a baseline, expects that something will probably be found, and has a doctor who will decide calmly what to follow up. It suits less well someone who will worry for weeks over a small cyst. Tell the clinic in advance about any metal implant, pacemaker or pregnancy, and ask for a wide bore scanner if enclosed spaces trouble you.

• Ask which parts of the body the scan covers, and whether the brain is imaged in detail.
• Ask who reports the scan and how soon, and whether a doctor will go through it with you.
• Ask who arranges and pays for the next test if something is found.

How a scan will work with us

Our full body MRI in Sydney costs from A$3,850, reported by a consultant radiologist. Before the scan, your own doctor will talk through whether it suits you, and afterwards will go through every finding with you, decide with you what needs following up and arrange it.