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Mayo study reports Gadolinium remains in the brain after contrast-enhanced MRI
An important new study was published online March 5, 2015 in Radiology. Dr. Robert McDonald and his colleagues at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found high levels of gadolinium in four regions of the brain of 13 deceased patients who had 4 or more contrast-enhanced MRIs with Omniscan. None of the patients had severe renal disease. Except for one patient with an eGFR of 54, the other 12 had an eGFR between 74 and 122. The authors concluded that “intravenous GBCA exposure is associated with neuronal tissue deposition in the setting of relatively normal renal function”.
The study, Intracranial Gadolinium Deposition after Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging, sought to confirm the findings of Errante et al (2014) and Kanda et al (2103) which reported progressive increases in T1-weighted signal intensity in parts of the brain after repeated administration of a Gadolinium-based Contrast Agent (GBCA). (more…)
Confirmation of Gadolinium Retention from as far back as 1989
While most of the published research on Gadolinium has been related to NSF (Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis) and patients with severe renal disease, more recent studies by Errante (2014), Kanda (2013) and Xia (2010) have presented evidence of Gadolinium retention in patients without severe kidney problems.
Some authors and members of the radiology community seem to be surprised by finding evidence of Gadolinium in abnormal brain tissue in patients with normal renal function, but based on what has been published about Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents, it seems that this might be expected to occur. Each of the manufacturers’ package inserts notes that GBCAs deposit in abnormal tissue, and none of the literature that I have read indicates that renal function plays any part in Gadolinium enhancement of abnormal tissue. (more…)
Mast Cells and Gadolinium Toxicity, is there a connection?
In the summer of 2012, I was asked if I had ever read anything about mast cells and Gadolinium or NSF. I vaguely remembered mast cells being mentioned in one study, but it obviously didn’t strike me as being important or I would have done some research on it then. But after digging around a bit, I came away thinking that there might be a connection between mast cells and the disease progression of NSF/GASF.
For those who don’t know, mast cells are found in tissues throughout the body, particularly in association with structures such as blood vessels, peripheral nerves, in mucosal membranes, skin and subcutaneous tissue. Mast cells are bone marrow-derived and particularly dependent upon stem cell factor for their survival. They express a variety of phenotypic features within tissues that are determined by their local environment. Mast cells appear to be highly engineered cells with multiple critical biological functions. (more…)
Study reports brain abnormalities on MRI in patients with normal kidney function
In the October 2014 issue of Investigative Radiology, Errante et al report study findings that confirm the association between the increase in the unenhanced T1-weighted signal intensity of the dentate nucleus and the number of gadolinium-enhanced MRI scans. (The dentate nucleus is located within the deep white matter of the brain.)
The study included 38 patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and 37 patients with brain metastases (BMs) who had undergone at least 2 consecutive enhanced MRIs. After calculating the dentate nuclei-to-pons (DNP) signal intensity ratio, these values were compared between patients with less than 6 and those with 6 or more contrast-enhanced MRI. A progressive increase in the T1 signal intensity of the DNP ratio was observed in both the MS group and the BM group. All patients had normal kidney function. (more…)
Gadolinium Toxicity 