Gadolinium (MRI/MRA Contrast Dye)
Several people have reported developing NSF/NFD after using Gadolinium based contrast agents.
- Many people don’t know what gadolinium is or why they should be concerned. Gadolinium is a chemical element in the periodic table used in an MRI/MRA in order to make the results of these tests more visible and therefore more easily interpreted. Iodine-based contrast agents have been used for years, but are known to cause acute renal failure. Gadolinium-based contrast agents were thought to be safer, but so far about 400 people have reported developing NSF/NFD after using gadolinium based contrast agents.
- Gadolinium was endorsed for use in MRI scans in 1988 and has been used in millions of studies since. Gadolinium side effects have been known to cause Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis or Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermotherapy (NSF/NFD) a disorder characterized by widespread tissue fibrosis.
- In December of 2006, the FDA issued its second public health advisory regarding gadolinium based contrast dyes. At that time, the FDA said it had received 90 reports of patients with moderate to end-stage kidney disease who developed NSF after being exposed to gadolinium based contrast agents. At the time of this alert, the FDA said about 215 patients worldwide were known to have NSF. Of those whose medical history were known, all had been exposed to gadolinium contrast agents prior to diagnosis.
- In May 2007, the FDA requested that the manufacturers of the five gadolinium based contrast agents used in MRIs include a boxed warning – the FDA’s strongest possible safety warning – on product labels highlighting the risk they posed to patients with kidney problems. The FDA warned that patients who are at risk for NSF should be monitored by their doctors, and told to report any symptoms associated with the condition immediately. The FDA has also set up a reporting program so that healthcare providers can report instances of NFS caused by Gadolinium based contrast agents.
- Signs and Symptoms of NSF/NFD include:
- Burning
- Itching
- Swelling
- Hardening and tightening of the skin
- Red or dark patches on the skin
- Yellow spots on the whites of the eyes
- Stiffness in joints, trouble moving or straightening the arms, hands, legs, or feet
- Pain deep in the hip bones or ribs
- Muscle weakness
- We are currently evaluating cases patients who have suffered NSF/NFD after administration of the MRI/MRA contrast dye Gadolinium.
Contact an Alabama personal injury lawyer at Taylor Martino Zarzaur for a free initial consultation to review your case.
Taylor Martino Zarzaur serves clients along the entire Gulf Coast, including Mobile, Pensacola, Montgomery, Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and Baldwin County, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.
