Home » Articles posted by Sharon Williams (Page 16)
Author Archives: Sharon Williams
Evidence of Gadolinium in Thyroid Tissue from a Patient with Normal Kidney Function
An Editorial – On April 8, 2015, I received the results from testing of my thyroid tissue for gadolinium. As I expected, gadolinium (Gd) was found. I do not know if the results will ever be published anywhere, but I felt that it was important that I share this information with other affected patients, as well as with any physicians and researchers who might visit our website.
Due to personal concerns, I won’t share the amount of gadolinium found in my tissue here. However, the published researcher who did the testing said, “The concentration of Gd in the tissue is significantly elevated relative to normal ‘background’ tissues”. “Based on the simultaneous analysis of other rare earth elements, it is clear that this does reflect Gd from a unique Gd-rich source consistent with Gd-based contrast agents.” Part of my thyroid gland was removed in June of 2014 – 51 months after my 5th dose of a gadolinium-based contrast agent. (more…)
Gadolinium retention in brain tissue of patients with normal renal function
On April 6, 2015, a study by Radbruch et al was published online ahead of print in Radiology. Like other recent studies, it reports on evidence of gadolinium retention in brain tissues of patients who had multiple MRIs with a gadolinium-based contrast agent or GBCA. The study, Gadolinium Retention in the Dentate Nucleus and Globus Pallidus Is Dependent on the Class of Contrast Agent, found that increased signal intensity (SI) in the dentate nucleus (DN) and globus pallidus (GP) on unenhanced T1-weighted MR images is caused by serial administration of the linear GBCA gadopentetate dimeglumine (Magnevist), but not by the macrocyclic GBCA gadoterate meglumine (Dotarem).
The retrospective study was comprised of two groups of 50 patients who had undergone at least 6 consecutive MRIs with only the linear agent Magnevist or only the macrocyclic agent Dotarem. All patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) greater than 60 – which is a level of renal function not considered to be at risk of retaining gadolinium from the administered gadolinium-based contrast agent. Of the 100 patients included in the study, 21 had an eGFR 60-90, and 79 patients had an eGFR greater than 90. (more…)
NSF Diagnosis made by means of Elemental Bioimaging and Speciation Analysis
A novel approach to diagnosing Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, better known as NSF, was recently published by Birka et al in Analytical Chemistry. Birka and his colleagues used the combination of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), laser ablation (LA) ICP-MS for elemental bioimaging, and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) ICP-MS for speciation analysis, which allowed them to diagnose a case of NSF. While the article, Diagnosis of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis by means of Elemental Bioimaging and Speciation Analysis, is very scientific in its details, there are facts to be learned by patients as well.
Skin biopsy specimens of NSF patients that were investigated by various techniques, found the presence of gadolinium deposits were mainly in the deeper regions of the subcutis (fat and connective tissue). A correlation of gadolinium with calcium, sodium, and phosphorous was observed in all cases.
The case report in this study involved a young woman who exhibited characteristic symptoms of NSF that began in 2011. Her clinical history included renal failure and kidney transplants from living donors in 2004 and 2006; the authors noted that she still has dialysis-dependent kidney insufficiency. The patient had an MRI in 2002 with Magnevist (Gd-DTPA) and in 2005 with ProHance (Gd-HP-DO3A). (more…)
Study finds association between high signal intensity in the brain and linear gadolinium-based contrast agents
In January of 2015, another study by Kanda et al was published online ahead of print in Radiology. The study, High Signal Intensity in Dentate Nucleus on Unenhanced T1-weighted MR Images: Association with Linear versus Macrocyclic Gadolinium Chelate Administration, evaluated MR images of 127 patients who had undergone contrast-enhanced brain MRIs at their institution in Japan. The images of nine patients (7.1%) showed hyperintensity in the Dentate Nucleus (DN) on unenhanced T1-weighted MR images – none of the patients had severe renal disease. Of those nine patients, 7 received only linear GBCA and 2 received both a linear and macrocyclic GBCA. The contrast agents were Magnevist and ProHance. After thorough analysis, the authors concluded that hyperintensity in the DN on unenhanced-T1 weighted MR images was associated with previous administration of the linear GBCA, but not with the macrocyclic GBCA. (more…)
Gadolinium Toxicity 