The BTF, a non-profit national organization that provides brain tumor support and information, is making their way through the five boroughs to bring a mobile MRI scan to New Yorkers who may not yet be aware of brain tumor risks.
The MRI tour is part of The Road to Early Detection program, BTF’s brain tumor awareness pilot program.
The program began Tuesday, Nov. 18 in front of City Hall Park, giving brain scans to City Hall employees. Their next stop will tentatively be in Brooklyn, where they hope to stay for five days. Updates and locations will be made available on the project web site, www.roadtoearlydetection.org.
“It’s the first of its kind,” Ethan Schnur, managing director of the project. “There are no free MRI brain scans anywhere.” An MRI scan, if not covered by insurance, costs approximately $1,000.
The goal over the next 12 months is to scan 1,000 to 1,500 people. Their one mobile MRI unit is able to scan one person each half hour. Other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and aneurisms could be found during an MRI scan.
Each scan takes 7-8 minutes. Anyone can make an appointment with BTF, which will require the release of one’s medical history. Those with certain conditions or metal in their body will be disqualified. After the scan, the results can be put on CD for the patient’s records and a copy will be sent to the primary care physician.
Though BTF does no research of its own, it is working with a research group to collect data. “We’re working with a research team to do a study of the next couple years,” Schnur said. “Hopefully we can find out whether and why brain tumors are more prevalent in certain regions.”
Brain Tumor Stats and Facts
Brain tumors are defined as any abnormal and uncontrolled cell division in the brain and surrounding tissue. Tumors can be benign or malignant.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) web site does not list the brain as one of the top ten sites in the human body where cancer is found. New York state has the12th overall highest cancer incidence rates but 42nd highest death rates due to cancer, according to CDC.
Between 2001 and 2005, the median age of diagnosis for brain and nervous system cancer was 56 years of age, according to the National Cancer Institute. Brain cancer is more prevalent among men than women across all races, with 7.6 men versus 5.5 women being diagnosed per 100,000. Furthermore, men are less likely to survive the disease than women, according to NCI statistics. Seniors are more likely to be diagnosed with brain tumors.
