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A mother who underwent a full-body scan for no particular reason was stunned to discover she had a “ticking time bomb” hidden in her body.
Sarah Blackburn, a young mom and viral TikToker, thought she was being proactive when she decided to get a full-body MRI with Prenuvo.
However, the decision led her into what she described as “the darkest two months that we’ve had as a family.”
“I had a full-body MRI just for fun. No symptoms at all,” Blackburn shared in a now-viral TikTok. She expected peace of mind but was instead given a diagnosis she never expected.
Earlier this year, Blackburn paid $2,500 for the Prenuvo scan at its Houston location.
Promoted as a preventive tool, the 60-minute MRI scans cover everything from head to ankle and claim to detect hundreds of conditions, including so-called “silent killers” like aneurysms.
These scans aren’t covered by insurance and aren’t meant to replace traditional screenings such as mammograms or pap smears.
@sarblackburn Story time on my Prenuvo experience! #prenuvo #houstontx #houston #splenicarteryaneurysm #preventativehealth #prenuvoscan ♬ original sound - Sarah Blackburn
However, for Blackburn, whose family has a history of cancer, the test seemed like a valuable investment.
“I thought this could make a huge difference that might change everything,” she said. “I can get ahead of this.”
She treated the experience like a self-care day, even taking selfies in her scrubs and watching Netflix during the scan.
“Everything at Prenuvo was great,” she recalled. “It kind of felt like a spa day — until it didn’t.”
Four days later, around 8:30 PM, she received her results — and everything changed.
Her report flagged an “important finding” under the circulatory system section: a splenic artery aneurysm.
The report explained that while most splenic artery aneurysms are incidental findings, “if a splenic artery aneurysm ruptures, there is a one in three mortality rate.”
“I had a full-blown panic attack when I got my results,” Blackburn said. “I literally felt like a ticking time bomb was in my body.”
What followed were countless appointments, consultations, and growing anxiety.
“It was a really dark and tough two months, where I was spiraling, freaking out, seeing a lot of doctors, and pretty much treating my body like it was fragile because I had no idea about this,” she said.
A follow-up CT scan revealed not just one, but two aneurysms.
Several doctors recommended spleen removal because of the size and location of the aneurysms.
Blackburn, who had previously had a lesion appear in a 2020 ultrasound (which she never knew about), decided to go ahead with the surgery.
“Read your radiology reports,” she advised PEOPLE. “I didn’t read mine. I just thought, ‘Okay, I’ll be told everything that needs attention.’ But that wasn’t the case.”
Fortunately, her spleen removal surgery was successful. “I will be starting the journey of life without a spleen, which I think will be okay. It’s better than living in fear of having a ruptured aneurysm,” she said.
However, the experience has left lasting emotional scars.
“I’m glad I know about this now and had the chance to decide what to do moving forward,” she shared. But she added that the ordeal triggered “debilitating health anxiety.”
“For those who already have health anxiety, I truly don’t know if I can recommend it,” she said.
Despite that, Blackburn is glad she went through with it.
“I feel grateful,” she said. “I’m happy I know about this and had the chance to decide what to do next.”
