MRI Dye Can Cause Serious Complications

Baltimore, MDPatients with kidney problems who have a gadolinium-based dye injected prior to an MRI or MRA scan could wind up developing severe complications. One such complication, a relatively new disease, is known as NSF. Patients who have developed NSF after having an MRI or MRA scan are now investigating the possibility of filing lawsuits against the makers of the gadolinium-based dyes.

NSF/NFD
NSF refers to nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. It is a rare disease but seems to frequently occur in patients who had a gadolinium-based MRI dye injected in the weeks or months before being diagnosed with NSF. NSF is also known as nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD).

NSF/NFD was first diagnosed around 10 years ago. It is so new and rare that medical experts are still trying to determine exactly what causes it and how it can be treated. What is known about NSF/NFD is that patients with kidney problems, including acute renal failure, who have an MRI dye containing gadolinium seem to be at the highest risk of developing NSF/NFD.

Patients with NSF/NFD suffer symptoms including skin lesions, bone pain, muscle weakness, and burning and itching of the affected areas. NSF/NFD causes hardening of the skin, connective tissues, and even the internal organs. In some cases, NSF/NFD can contribute to death by restricting breathing or organ function. NSF/NFD is often severely debilitating. Many patients who suffer from NSF require wheelchairs and have problems moving their limbs.

As of December 2006, 90 patients in the U.S. reported an NSF/NFD diagnosis after having an MRI or MRA. Worldwide, the medical histories of 75 of 215 patients with an NSF/NFD diagnosis were studied. All of the patients studied had received a gadolinium-based dye for an MRI or MRA. The FDA reports that biopsies of patients with NSF/NFD revealed that those patients had gadolinium in their skin. Furthermore, these patients developed NSF/NFD from two days to 18 months after having their scans done. The dose of gadolinium-based dye that the patients received varied from just one dose to very high doses.