A link between Gadolinium and the debilitating condition Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis was found near the end of 2006. Noticed to be affecting patients that had advanced kidney disease or kidney failure that had been injected with a Gadolinium solution, the US Food and Drug Administration released a warning to healthcare professionals warning of the risks of using a solution that contains Gadolinium in patients with impaired kidney function. It is believed that the injection of the Gadolinium is the direct cause of the development of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis.
The reason that Gadolinium is believed to be the direct cause of the development of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is because of physical evidence obtained during a biopsy of the affected tissue. The tissue contained small amounts of Gadolinium ions within the cells, which was believed to be causing the signature symptoms and physical appearance of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis. Because Gadolinium is a toxic agent, the presence of Gadolinium in the cells of the tissues can be very harmful to the health of the cells where the ions were found.
When a solution containing Gadolinium is manufactured for use as a contrast agent for MRI imaging, the Gadolinium is shielded by the components of the solution which prevent the Gadolinium from being absorbed by the body. The Gadolinium solution is usually eliminated from the body by the kidneys quickly, but it is believed that patients that have impaired kidney function are unable to remove the Gadolinium solution from the body via the kidneys which allows the solution to remain in the body until the solution breaks down and releases the Gadolinium ions into the body.
Patients that are experiencing renal failure or advanced kidney disease have a highly increased likelihood of developing Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis after the injection of a solution containing Gadolinium because the kidneys are unable to remove the Gadolinium from the body in a timely manner, increasing the risk that some of the Gadolinium ions will be released into the body were it can damage tissues and organs. To date, this is the most well received explanation about why Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis has developed in a number of patients across the nation. All of the patients around the world that have been positively diagnosed with Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis has impaired kidney function and has undergone an MRI imaging procedure after being injected with a contrast solution containing Gadolinium, making the explanation of why these patients have developed the condition a plausible one in the eyes of many researchers.
It has also been found that the more impaired the kidney function of the patient is determined to be, the higher the risk of the patient developing Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis after an injection of a Gadolinium based solution. Because of the risks now associated with giving a patient with impaired kidney function an injection of a Gadolinium based solution, the American College of Radiology has revised its instructions for medical professionals that detail the procedure to perform an MRI imaging procedure correctly to reflect the increased danger of developing Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis. The US Food and Drug Administration has also issued warnings to the healthcare industry about the risks associated with solutions containing Gadolinium.
DO I HAVE A LAWSUIT?
If you or somebody you know has recently undergone an MRI or MRA procedure that used a Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent, you should contact us immediately. You have rights and may be entitled to compensation for your Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis injuries.
Please use the form below to contact an Injury Help Network attorney / lawyer directly for a free confidential case review. You may also call toll free 24 hrs/day by dialing (866) 879-3040.
Secure 128-bit SSL Encrypted Email Communication
