MRI Dyes: Black Box Warning?

Baltimore, MDThe dyes that have been linked to NSF/NFD are gadolinium-based dyes. In May 2007, the FDA requested a black box warning for gadolinium-based MRI dyes to warn patients with kidney problems about the risks of using the dyes.

"The dyes are used to help differentiate between blood vessels and nearby tissues during an MRI or an MRA. They work by accumulating in the organs and are usually flushed from the patient's body by the kidneys. However, patients with kidney disease or other kidney problems may not have the dye removed from their body quickly enough, which may cause NSF/NFD. In a person with a normally functioning kidney, the gadolinium can be eliminated from the body in three hours. However, for patients with kidney problems that process can take 36 hours.

Other Side Effects from MRI Dyes
MRI dyes can cause a number of other side effects including severe allergic reactions, blood clots, and inflammation of blood vessels.

The FDA is recommending that patients with moderate to end-stage kidney disease who require an MRI or MRA with a gadolinium-based dye should receive dialysis shortly after the scan is done. The agency also recommends that patients "just before or just after liver transplantation, or those with chronic liver disease, are also at risk for developing NSF if they are experiencing kidney insufficiency of any severity."

If you have had an MRI and experienced NSF/NFD symptoms afterward, seek medical attention immediately. NSF/NFD is more easily treated when it is caught early.

If you suffered from NSF/NFD after an MRI, contact a lawyer to discuss your options. Lawsuits have already been filed against some of the makers of gadolinium-based dyes, claiming the companies knew about the risk of NSF/NFD but failed to warn patients. Lawsuits have also been filed by families of patients who died after developing NSF from a gadolinium-based dye.