Gadolinium In Medicine-An Evaluation and Update

Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents (GBCA) are intravenous drugs used in diagnostic imaging procedures to enhance the quality of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA). FDA alerts concerning potential side effects increased patient and medical concerns. More recent FDA information indicate that ionic gadolinium is released from some GBCAs, potentially causing gadolinium toxicity. We checked if gadolinium is excreted renally without intervention after previous administration of GBCAs, and if chelating agents are effective in removing gadolinium that may have remained in the body after GBCA administration. Through the evaluation of our internal database and the studies of others, we concluded that no clear consensus exists at this time. While the DTPAs may be the choice of chelators for the removal of gadolinium from the human body, further studies are needed to prove this. It seems clear, however, that microcyclic GBCAs provide a lesser risk of causing gadolinium retention and gadolinium toxicity symptoms.