Gadolinium Description
Gadolinium is an element recognized by the symbol Gd and the atomic number 64 in the Periodic Table of Elements. Gadolinium is an earth metal that has no known biological role.
Gadolinium Medical Use
Gadolinium is used in contrasting agents during medical magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and magnetic resonance angiography [MRA] scans.
A gadolinium-based contrast agent is manufactured by a process that coats gadolinium with organic molecules. These molecules reduce the toxic effects of pure gadolinium once injected into the human body.
Gadolinium compounds are of low or moderate toxicity; pure Gadolinium, G+++, is extremely toxic.
Usually patients with endstage liver and renal – kidney – disease undergo MRI and MRA investigations with gadolinium.
Gadolinium Assisted Scanning Procedure
Doctors take an initial MRI or MRA scan of a patient’s internal tissue or organs without gadolinium. Then the doctors inject the gadolinium-based contrast agent directly into a patient’s bloodstream. The GBCA flows freely through the blood, and the gadolinium accumulates in the abnormal tissue. The doctors then take a second or third scan with the gadolinium.
Gadolinium Triggered Disease
Gadolinium is almost exclusively flushed out of the body by the kidneys.
Patients with kidney failure usually undergo MRI and MRA investigations with gadolinium. However, due to these patients’ inability to excrete the gadolinium, the element remains in the body longer. With the GBCA having a prolonged half life in patients with renal dysfunctions or failure, the exposure to gadolinium and the risk of toxicity both increase.
Many of these patients with kidney dysfunction and exposed to gadolinium have contracted a preventable disease called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis or NSF.
Gadolinium Based Contrast Agents
There are five gadolinium-based contrast agents that hospitals use for MRI and MRA scans. Magnevist is manufactured by Bayer Schering Pharma; Omniscan is manufactured by GE Healthcare; Optimark is manufactured by Mallinckrodt, Inc.; Multihance and Prohance are manufactured by Bracco Diagnostics, Inc.
All five gadolinium based contrast agents are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for MRI scans. None of the five are approved for MRA scans.
Gadolinium dosage for MRA scans are usually two to three times higher than for MRI scans. However, medical practitioners may opt to double the gadolinium dosage for MRIs. The higher the dosage, the clearer the MRI or MRA scan, thus the more gadolinium accumulates in the abnormal tissue.
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is a potentially fatal disease. If anyone you know has been administered gadolinium during an MRI or MRA scan, report the incident to a physician at once. The legal experts at Babbitt-Johnson are available for a free legal consultation concerning gadolinium poisoning.
See also, Myocardium, Pericardium
It is imperative to consult a physician as soon as possible. Babbitt-Johnson attorneys, specializing in aprotinin and Trasylol cases, offer free legal consultations and advice on the best legal recourses.
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