Gadolinium is an injectable chemical used during Magnetic
Resonance Imagery (MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) scans to help provide
contrast between blood vessels and other tissues. There are currently five FDA-approved
gadolinium based contrast agents for use in medical procedures. They include:
- Magnevist
MRI contrast agent
- MultiHance
MRI contrast agent
- Omniscan
MRI contrast agent
- OptiMARK
MRI contrast agent
- ProHance
MRI contrast agent
Unfortunately some people have severe reactions to
Gadolinium and suffer MRI contrast agent side effects. Since 1997, Gadolinium has been associated
with potentially life-threatening conditions in people with reduced kidney
function such as Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, or NSF. Gadolinium MRI dye allergic reactions Nephrogenic
Systemic Fibrosis (NSF)/ Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NFD) are
characterized by a number of diverse symptoms such as:
- Thick,
hardened skin over the joints that severely restricts movement and
impaired kidney function. This scar
tissue can often prevent movement of the arms, hands, fingers, legs, or
feet.
- Severe
fibrosis and scarring of internal organs throughout a number of systems.
- Other
Gadolinium side effects include
- Muscle
Weakness
- Dark
red patches on the skin
- Yellow
spots in the sclera(white part) of the eye
- Pain
deep in the bones of the hips or ribs
- Stiff
joints
- Itching,
burning, swelling, hardening of the skin
- Symmetrical
skin lesions that commonly occur on the ankles and thighs, followed by
the wrists and upper arms
- Rapid
onset hypertension
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of NSF/NFD allergic
reactions is there were no reported cases before Gadolinium became widespread
in MRI/MRA cases. Some patients with NSF
have actually died due to complications caused by their kidney disease or due
to necessary transplant surgery.
To learn more about
Gadolinium side effects or for information on hiring an
Gadolinium lawyer, please visit our website at
http://resource4thepeople.com/defectivedrugs/gadolinium.html. This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.
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