How to Tell If You Have a Gadolinium Problem

Gadolinium is the active ingredient in various brands of contrast dyes that are injected into a patient's bloodstream in order to enhance MRI and MRA images. In a patient with normally-functioning kidneys, gadolinium is expelled from the body quickly. If the patient has kidney disease, however, the substance could cause nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSD). NSF is a rare and possibly fatal disorder that causes thickening and hardening of the skin. It can appear within a few days or up to 18 months after a patient has been injected with the gadolinium. At of late 2009, there is no treatment for this disease. There are several identifiable factors that signify a gadolinium problem.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor

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Instructions

Instructions

• 1

  Determine if you have kidney disease. Gadolinium problems only occur in patients with impaired kidney function. If your kidneys are healthy, you are not at risk for developing NSF after having undergone an MRI or MRA.

• 2

  Check for an allergic reaction. The reaction can range from mild to severe and can manifest itself as a rash, itching, hives or swelling.

• 3

  Monitor your sweating. Excessive sweating could also be a sign that you have a gadolinium problem.

• 4

  Pay attention to your skin. If you notice red or dark patches on your skin or if it feels hard and/or tight, this could be a sign that you are being affected by gadolinium.

• 5

  Look at your eyes in the mirror. Yellow, raised spots on the whites of your eyes are another way that NSF is manifested.

• 6

  Check your bones and muscles. If you feel stiffness in your joints and have problems moving, weakness or deep pain in your hip bones or ribs, these are red flags for gadolinium poisoning.