Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a technique used to take detailed pictures of a person’s soft tissues, like the brain, muscles, and nerves. The technique uses a powerful magnet, radio waves, and a computer to create these pictures.
There are two types of major MRIs: contrast and non-contrast. The main difference is that a dye is injected into a patient’s bloodstream for a contrast MRI. The dye attaches to the millions of tiny, magnetic hydrogen atoms that make up the body, which helps make the pictures clearer. The most commonly used dye is gadolinium-based.
WHAT IS GADOLINIUM?
Gadolinium is a silver metal found in the Earth’s crust. While toxic to humans when found in water-soluble salts, the gadolinium used for contrast agents is far less toxic. The makers of gadolinium-based dyes promised doctors and patients that it’s safe to inject patients with since the kidneys can quickly get rid of it with the help of chelation when it’s no longer needed.
During the process of chelation, chemical particles called chelating agents bind to gadolinium to form a more stable compound that the kidneys can then remove from the body. Most chelation isn’t approved by the FDA, yet doctors do it every day.
Today, there are new studies that claim gadolinium can actually stay in the body for years. The hundreds of lawsuits that exist prove it.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF GADOLINIUM TOXICITY
Many doctors have been working under the assumption that patients with normal kidney function don’t experience any gadolinium toxicity, as their kidneys work well and shouldn’t have any problem getting rid of the chemical. That’s simply not true.
As with most medical conditions, the symptoms and severity of gadolinium toxicity vary from patient to patient. In addition to joint pain, burning skin, and brain fog, patients have reported experiencing:
Gadolinium Storage Condition
This is when gadolinium stores itself within body tissues, like bones and the brain.
Gadolinium Deposition Disease
DWhen gadolinium deposits itself into the body, it can cause severe pain. Patients have reported feeling unbearable pain in their arms, hands, legs, and feet.
Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF)
Patients with serious kidney injuries or kidney failure are at higher risk for developing this disease because of the kidneys’ reduced ability to get gadolinium out of the bloodstream. NSF can look like a skin disease because of the way the skin darkens and thickens in some spots.
NSF is usually a chronic disease that gets worse with time. There’s currently no cure for NSF, and there’s no solid proof that any treatment plans work.
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GADOLINIUM TOXICITY LAWYERS
If you or a loved one has been injected with gadolinium in preparation for an MRI and has suffered from the conditions mentioned above, contact us today. We can answer whatever legal questions you have and determine if you have a case. Email us at help@pintas.com or call us at 800-774-7120. We’re available to help you 24/7, and all consultations are free.
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