MRI Contrasts & Safety

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) refers to non-invasive medical scans that use magnets to take pictures of the body. Some MRI scans require the injection of a contrast dye, which creates clearer images. MRI contrast dye is made of gadolinium and is safe for most people.

Features

• Gadolinium is a metal ion that is FDA-approved as an MRI contrast agent. Gadolinium is paramagnetic, which means it acts differently within a magnetic field, such as the magnetic field created in an MRI.

Concerns

• Patients with renal insufficiency or renal dysfunction may have an increased risk of developing nephrogenic systemic fibrosis after receiving gadolinium-based contrast dye, according to the FDA. Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis involves skin thickening, preventing mobility and eventually causing death. Patients with renal disease should ask if MRI scans that involve contrast are medically essential.

Warning

• Contact your doctor if you experience swelling, reddened or itchy skin, joint stiffness or pain, muscle weakness, or raised spots on your eyes after having an MRI that used contrast dye. These symptoms may indicate the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.