Gadolinium Responsible For Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, NSF
Medical professionals have found that MRI contrast dye containing gadolinium carries the risk of renal failure or even the serious disorder Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF). Gadolinium is a naturally occurring metal found in abundant quantities throughout nature. Although considered rare, it can be found in the streams, oceans, dirt, and the Earth’s crust. For industrial purposes, mineral mining companies extract the metal for commercial use by separating it from monazite and bastnasite. It is also used to create a wide variety of products in the modern market place. Unfortunately, using the element as a contrast dye in magnetic resonance imaging and angiography could be causing major health problems in otherwise healthy individuals. While contrast agents are not necessary in magnetic resonance imaging, they do provide doctors with a better picture of internal processes. The metal spreads throughout the body, and is absorbed into different areas on a cellular level. This provides medical experts with an easily read picture that has higher contrast, compared to a picture from the device done without any contrast agent. However, doctors, lawyers, and victims are getting the word out, warning renal failure patients that injection of this substance carries an extremely elevated risk of NSF, a painful and debilitating ailment with some of the following side effects: • Hardened skin
• Dark patches on the skin
• Unexplained lesions (cuts) on the skin
• Fibrous nodes and plaques over the skin
• Fibrosis of the diaphragm
• Fibrosis of lungs
• Fibrosis of thigh muscles or abdomen
Generally speaking, the dye causes organs or other areas of the body to grow inordinately large amounts of fibrous material. This tissue is typically meant to repair or heal lesions and other ailments. However, according to the doctors and patients of NSF, the biological mechanism that tells the body to stop growing repair tissues is broken. Although the symptoms above may not cause death, they do lead to very serious life-threatening injuries. For instance, fibrosis of the lungs constricts the lung tissue, so it cannot expand fully. It can also fill the lung, causing suffocation, as the air sacs are no longer exposed to air. It is also possible that victims will be confined to a wheel chair, as their muscles have become so contracted and filled with material that they no longer function. If you have any renal problems and were recently subjected to an MRI or other radiology procedure requiring the use of a contrasting agent, are experiencing one or more of the severe symptoms listed above, or have any other reason to believe that you may have contracted NSF, contact your doctor, physician, or other healthcare professional immediately. An early diagnosis is vital in mitigating the often debilitating problems associated with the ailment. Additionally, you may be due recompense from an existing or pending gadolinium lawsuit . If your doctor diagnoses you, contact a lawyer immediately, to see if you qualify.
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