Gadolinium Lawyer

How will my doctor know if I am suseptible to NSF before using gadolinium in an MRI?

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Unless you to your physician, he or she will not know so it’s important to communicate if you have any kidney problems before having an MRI.  To learn more, contact a Gadolinium Lawyer at Williams Kherkher.

Is there a safer alternative contrast agent that can be used in MRI studies?

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No, at present, Gadolinium is the agent being used.  To learn more, call the Gadolinium Lawyers at Williams Kherkher.

Reporting in the October issue of the American Journal of Dermatopathology, Researchers at Wake Forest University, Baptist Medical Center suggest a possible explanation for why some patients on kidney dialysis who are injected with a “contrast agent” during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) develop nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). a rare tightening and swelling of the skin and other organs, including the lungs and heart

The researchers tested the hypothesis that TG2, an enzyme known as transglutaminase-2, may be involved in the response. The enzyme is found throughout the body and is involved in blood clotting and wound healing. They hypothesized that gadolinium may activate the enzyme and cause NSF.  The group obtained skin biopsies from five people with NSF and three healthy people. All NSF patients had renal failure and had previously had imaging procedures using gadolinium. The researchers tested for the presence of TG2 in the skin samples. “Compared to the healthy subjects, there was a marked increase in TG2 in the subjects with NSF,” said Sane. “This suggests that activation of TG2 can produce the syndrome. TG2 is expressed in virtually all tissues and may explain why the fibrosis can occur in the heart and lungs, as well as the skin.” 

“Our research is a pilot study, but we believe the results warrant further research into the use of TG-2 inhibitors in the treatment and prevention of NSF,” said Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., co-senior researcher, and a dermatologist. “Solving this puzzle might allow dialysis patients to take full advantage of the diagnostic capabilities of MRI.”

To learn more, contact a Gadolinium Attorney at Williams Kherkher by calling 1.800.220.9341.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first notified health care professionals and the public about the gadolinium-related risks for NSF in June 2006 and updated the information in December.When patients undergo an MRI, gadolinium-based contrast agents are commonly used to improve the visibility of internal structures. Five gadolinium-based contrast agents have been approved for use in the

According to reports, the development of NSF can follow a single and or multiple administrations of the gadolinium-based contrast agents. The reports have not always identified a specific agent. The most commonly reported agent was Omniscan, when a specific agent was identified, followed by Magnevist and OptiMARK. NSF has also developed after the sequential administration of Omniscan and MultiHance and Omniscan and ProHance. Because reports do not completely describe exposure to gadolinium-based contrast agents, it is not possible to know if the extent of risks for developing NSF is the same for all agents. Patients should be screened for kidney problems prior to receiving one of these imaging agents. The recommended dose should not be exceeded and enough time should elapse to ensure that a dose has been eliminated from the body before the agent is used again.No cases have been reported of NSF among patients with normal kidney function or those with mild-to-moderate kidney insufficiency.  To learn more, please contact a Gadolinium Lawyer at Williams Kherkher by calling 1.800.220.9341.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have asked manufacturers of all gadolinium-based contrast agents to include a new boxed warning on the product labeling. These agents are used to enhance the quality of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).The warning states that patients with severe kidney insufficiency are at risk for developing a debilitating, and a potentially fatal disease known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) if they receive gadolinium-based agents. In addition, the warning would also state that another group of patients at risk for developing NSF as those patients with chronic liver disease and patients just before or just after liver transplantation. “FDA has been carefully monitoring potential safety signals related to these contrast agents after receiving reports about the risk of this potentially life-threatening disease,” said Steven Galson, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This latest action demonstrates FDA’s continuing vigilance about ensuring the safety of drug products once they enter the marketplace.” Patients with NSF develop thickening of the connective tissues and skin and that inhibits their ability to move and may result in broken bones. Other organs are also at risk of thickening. The cause of NSF is not known and there is no consistently effective treatment for this condition.

To learn more, contact the Gadolinium lawyers at Williams Kherkher by calling 1.800.220.9341.