MRI Gadolinium Contrast: Is It Worth The Risk? | Imaging Expert, Daniel Margolis, MD Explains | PCRI
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- čas přidán 11. 03. 2021
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There have been reports on the behavior of certain forms of Gadolinium, the agent used to achieve greater clarity on MRI, that have caused concern among many in the public. Non-ionic linear gadolinium, for example, tends to collect in the brainstem - although there have been no reports of it causing any symptoms (in contrast, this does not seem to happen with ionic macrocyclic gadolinium). Here, public health expert Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, asks radiologist Daniel Margolis, MD, whether/when/why gadolinium is necessary and what to ask to make sure that you are getting the safest form of the agent.
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All I hear is "as far as we know", "probably no neurological side effects". Those are not reassuring words.
I do not want to speak for Dr. Margolis, but he is scientifically-minded and so he probably worded it that way because the investigations were inductive in nature, and inductive logic can never produce absolute certainty. Like he said, gadolinium been investigated in millions of patients over time and there has never been evidence of it having a neurological effect, but that does not mean that there will never be a person who will have neurological effects from it, and so a scientifically-minded person will say "as far as we can tell" even though, practically, the risk if very small if it exists at all. If you have any more questions about the safety of gadolinium, feel free to contact our helpline at pcri.org/helpline.
Every doctor willing to administer contrast. Should have there brain scanned with contrast first. Guaranteed, it would cease to being a tool, that's probably, sorta, maybe safe & effective? 😢
@@rss5003exactly. Doctors have no clue what the effects of this shit is. Just like the effects of big pharma.
Your idea is more or like we should not use any cars because it probably cause an accident. Unless there are alternative technique to replace MRI, I believe MRI can save more compared to that probability. All we can hope is that probability is zero. I know that a comment is just a statement. Just hope for better...
@@anims7516 Pot meet kettle. Your statement is overly broad in comparison. Do no harm should always be first, Informed consent, alternatives presented prior, right of refusal by patient to not follow one size medicine for all insurance & government guidelines with options to move forward in treatment if option is declined. Get govt out of healthcare period. Get it back into the hands of the patient and the doctor we hire. Like Government, the Doctor is supposed to work for the patient, not for the system. The one size, one option, take it or, leave it approach too medical treatment has lead towards sudden & baffling consequences for the world & enrichment for a very few! Thanks O-care!
I would like to see long term followup studies to assess the long term risk. Also, basic research needs to be done to find a less risky approach to imaging than to infuse the body with a known toxic substance such as a heavy metal.
Gadolinium is known to be highly toxic, but apparently when the metal is chelated this eliminates most of the toxic effects. Even in this form it bioaccumulates, though. My question would be -- although gadolinium remains in the body indefinitely, is it guaranteed that it will remain _in chelated form_ indefinitely? In other words, what is the durability of that chemical barrier that prevents the Gd from becoming toxic? If it doesn't last a lifetime, then eventually the chelator will break down and release the toxic Gd ions into tissues.
Personally I strongly doubt that a chelating agent used in a contrast medium would have the necessary (lifetime) durability to make Gd a safe product. Probably the chelator makes it "safe enough", such that most harmful effects are long-term, rather than short-term, which is good enough for the medical industry. If the harmful side-effects are pushed out far enough from the test by using a chelator, then it becomes difficult to definitively establish cause-and-effect harms, thereby protecting the manufacturer from the risk of legal liability.
You are absolutely right on the mark. Bottom line they want to avoid lawsuits. I imagine this industry is profitable as well.
If radiologists really believe gadolinium contrast in the body is safe. Send out the disclaimer documents along with the full name of the contrast weeks prior to the procedure, so patients can make an informed decision at their leisure, as opposed to 5 mins before the procedure. which is absolutely ridiculous. Im guessing most radiologists know of chelated gadolinium risks and would not have it injected in them selves.
and making alt. contrast, for people how are anaphylactic to gadolinium contrast, verses , trying to treat the patient with steroids, and Benadryl, as obviously the human body is saying "dont put that in me", if some one's throat almost closes! if a kid is allergic to peanuts, do you ever try to give them peanuts again? no duh! have some common sense with that 12 yr masters degree!
They didn't even tell me what it was they were injecting me with. said it was "a substance to help the imaging process". After i felt dizzy and off, so I did some research, turns out they're injecting a heavy metal directly into my bloodstream. awesome. I am not going to the doctor for anything after this. I still feel sick a while after the MRI, and I don't know what to do.
I had gadolinium in 2018, developed scars and scabs on body, lost 25 lbs. Consulted with M.D. that ordered the MRI and he suggested I read a book on mental health issues. I study Science, history, and research many issues. I have a 140 I.Q. so I'm not stupid. Changed doctors to get intelligent response, so far I'm still in medical limbo! The attorneys all want to sign me up. I'm 83 and don't have the time or patience. Question all of them.
I got MRI with gad in 2017, started limping 6 months later. Just did chelation and my levels of had are off the chart …. I still limp
czcams.com/video/C4Nu47Vdm7Y/video.html
Watch this. If you have below average kidney function, it might be this
get an attorney. hold those bastards accountable for what they did to you
Deeply sorry to hear. Praying you can find a healing retreat or a serious detox . I can tell this doc on the vid is just spouting what he has been taught . gadolinium is a heavy metal poison .
1. Please, what effective methods are there for detoxing and removing gadolinium from your body? 2. what is the absolutely safest form of gadolinium and what is the brand name of it? 3. are technicians allowed to lower the dosage of gadolinium in the test so that it potentially will not be as toxic?
Supplementing shilajit and iodine would help in theory..they are heavy metal chelators and help with detoxing.
@@Silverstone_- ...magnascent iodine...
Edta chelation and dtpa chelation
heavy metal detox smoothie by Anthony Williams and niacin sauna detox protocol
Charcoal and try Epsom salt baths after.
Is there no other choice for a contrast gadolinium is the only choice?
No one warned me about this before administering it and that I could request not to have it for the procedure.
Same here 😔
Please 🙏 reconsider using this. I was given contrast dye twice in a month and it took a long while to feel much better. If you chose or it’s necessary do the steps to get it out of your body as quickly as possible. Possible take activate charcoal directly afterwards
Hi! Would you mind sharing your experience? What side effects did you have, if you don’t mind me asking?
I had 2 gadolinium scans about a month apart. My most recent one I had done today was eovist gadolinium. The first scan I had done I just felt sick. I had no idea that that’s what they had given me, nor did they tell me there were risks involved with contrast. I’ve been feeling sick since my first MRI, not even making the connection. I’m having dizzy spells, muscle weakness, brain fog. I just don’t feel right. After the second scan I had done today I felt okay for a couple of hours after I got home. Then I started noticing a tightness in my legs. I’m having burning and pain in my legs and it is continuing to worsen and going into my lower back. This is very scary, and I feel much worse after my 2nd scan. I’m hoping and praying that this is only temporary.
I agree, I think people need to be warned about this and discuss the risks with a professional to make sure that it is the best option for them. My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered from this. Praying for all 🙏❤️
@@Jesus_is_Lord555 i feel dizzy,blurred vision , right leg and arm weakness how long it is?
This answer didn't provide the clear explanation on whether I should consider getting this metal injection. Actually it made me more fearful. Why didn't he explain the risks here now?
We have a few other videos on this topic:
"Why Gadolinium with MP-MRI, Dan Margolis, MD Answers | Excerpt from the 2019 PCRI Conference"
czcams.com/video/DSSzVdnH7nU/video.html
"Gadolinium in Prostate MRIs: Allergic Reactions and Current Studies | Answering CZcams Comments #17"
czcams.com/video/SGmCuzflasU/video.html
"Prostate MRI: Should You Use Contrast? | Off The Cuff with Mark Moyad, MD, MPH"
czcams.com/video/vwvtJp8VBKo/video.html
Its something you will never find out. They keep it vague. Even if they know, they will not tell you. Follow the $. "No known" side effects
Don't accept it then. It's better to be safe than sorry. I have regular screenings but with no contrast
He is saying 9 times out of 10 the gadolinium is not needed. Thats pretty clear cut to me.
About a week ago, my wife had an angiogram. The procedure was uneventful and no issues were found concerning her heart. However, she is allergic to metal and we're learning that the contrast injected during the procedure contains metal. Soon after returning home, she commented that she is having difficulty focusing. Her eyesight seems to have been affected by the contrast. Hopefully, this is a temporary condition.
I've had it administered like 17 times for brain imaging. I might refuse it one of these days just to see if any residual is still pressent on MRI. I could taste the gadolinium once when a lot was adminstered overadeccade ago but no other reaction since.
You must have healthy kidneys then! I had a pre-existing renal murmur that was ignored, and because of that I've retained gadolinium. It causes widespread CRAZY/BIZARRE pain and crawling sensations...and mental woes a plenty! F--k that s--t!
@@Amandadances1983 I think so, it would seem my kidneys expel it quite rapidly. If they didn't, I'd probably have many more and much worse problems than MS by now. I hope you recovered and didn't sustain permanent issues from it.
It wouldn’t show up if you refused it. The amount that may stay in your body is so minuscule and no longer in the blood stream. It’s also more likely you tasted the saline they flushed the gad with.
Is pelvic MRI with contrast even necessary before the operative hysteroscopy? They saw some polyps during the diagnostic hysteroscopy and im asked to do MRI with contrast but im afraid of the side effects of gadolinium to my body and for my fertility (ivf)
Dr wanted me to inject contrast. I said no. Radiologist put up a fuss and said the pictures are better/easier to read with contrast. I asked if anything of potential value would come from the mri without contrast. He said, "well, yes." So I said, good. Because that's all you're getting from me. And that was the end of it. He then reported that he couldn't quite make something out and wasn't sure if it was a problem or not. So I then had to travel to a hospital almost 2 hours away that had a machine that was better /higher resolution..paid for a second MRI (without contrast) and the issue was ruled out. Lesson learned: don't waste your money on outdated equipment if you have the ability to decide and choose very carefully whether or not contrast is really necessary because most medical professionals naturally want the best pictures and assume the risk is low if your kidneys work. They also didn't think any gadolinium stayed in the body if kidneys were functioning and now are admitting, "oops, we were wrong. Guess we should have studied that."
have you done the mri? what about fertility?
I just had an MRI with gadolinium contrast and am now regretting it 😔
@@Jesus_is_Lord555 Take heavy metal detox smoothie by Anthony Williams..it will help to pull out the poison
@@KMx108 ive already had a head ct scan done without contrast and that came back clear for dizziness. i now have a brain mri coming up which i wanna do without contrast. i wonder if they'll come back saying theres something questionable JUST so they can inject me with gad. anyway, how did you end up finding a hospital with a better machine that didnt require contrast? good for you
They say it leaves the body by day 180. Well I saw test of three women for heavy metals and Gadolinium was all the way to the end on the chart. I asked one how far back she had that....she said 13 years ago. :o( No way I am ever getting that.
We have more information about it here: czcams.com/video/vwvtJp8VBKo/video.html
Gadolinium had been found to deposit in the brain using older formulations, but out of millions of cases there has never been documented cases of it causing anyone any symptoms or problems. Now, there is the cyclic formulation that does not deposit in the brain.
I just had my 2nd scan done in a month. They did not warn me of the risks, now hours after my 2nd scan I am having burning pain in my legs that is getting worse amongst other symptoms. overall I just don’t feel right 🥺 they really need to come up with better diagnostic tests. After my personal experience, I will never have an MRI with contrast again.
@@Jesus_is_Lord555 also never take an antibiotic called ciprofloxacine. Its very dangerous checkout all the people in wheelchairs from this stuff.
A couple of years ago, during an MRI I got injected some Gadolinium and in less than 3 minutes they had to stop the study, the area around my neck got really red and swollen as well as my hand where I got the medication. I had a strong allergic reaction to it. I was wondering how normal this is because I assume it must be safe for most people. I still have the pictures of my neck and hand, that was a bit scary. Thanks.
It’s rare for people to have that kind of reaction to gadolinium. I’ve scanned thousands of people and I’ve seen it happen twice.
@@tskeldin29123 your words are almost exactly the same words said by the person who scanned me, she has only seen it twice. I had to get another done without the Gadolinium, results not as clear as if I had had it. Thank you.
@@marko7575 they have a protocol where you can take benedryl before you get scanned so you can have contrast. Hopefully that helps
@@tskeldin29123 I'll ask next time, thank you!
@@tskeldin29123 some people get severe side effects from gadolinium. Having an allergic reaction is different from gadolinium deposition disease. Fda said in 2018 in a warning , even ppl with healthy kidneys can retain gadolinium.
I just got my MRI done, I feel some side effects from gadolinium, tiredness, headaches,disiness, cloudy judgement, this is my 3rd MRI in 6 years with gadolinium due to a petuatery tumor that was removed in 2017. Why does my endocrinologist keep ordering with and without contrast I don't know.
There's a new 3t mri that should be able to show things more clearly even without contrast I think.
@@SusanRichardsDay Thank you for this. Didn't know there is a machine that can get high quality images, faster and with no need for contrast dye. Kaiser Permanente has these...
Also, there is the 7T scanners that have higher resolution then 3Ts. The technology is there...
Is gadolinium required for mra of brain? Looking for aneurysm and pulsatile tinnitus?
Opt for a CTA scan with iodine based contrast. It'll reveal any malformations & dAVFs.
Have the European nations banned using contrast dye with gadolinium? Is this because the Gd atom gets separated from the dye molecule? Can the dye molecule pass through artery walls or only the Gd atom?
@Luisa Gabriela Mendivelso Silva I'm sorry to hear that. My grandson has been affected. The contrast dyes are in two groups, one with a "weaker bond". I understand the European group does not allow this group. But are the "strong bond" products 100% safe? The FDA allows both groups.
@Luisa Gabriela Mendivelso Silva I started limping 6 months after my MRI w gad. Just did chelation and my gad levels are off the chart
@@georgeseese the short answer is no
@@georgeseese There is no safe way to inject a lanthanide heavy metal into the circulation. Different molecules deposit more or less in different ways. Especially whether it is ionic or non ionic.
Isn't Dotarem the safest?
I had 5 mri scans only one to give me a ruff time was contrast .. It set my Autonomic Dysreflexia off big time So I think it has a play in autonomics
If no neurological side effects of contrast ,so how contrast depositionin brain??
I got mine 2 days ago on my shoulder and my shoulder is still hurting it literally feels like it’s bleeding inside,also the color wasn’t showing on screen so the doctor had to start over and try again then it didn’t show again and I was told we can either try again or reschedule so I started feeling sad after going thru the pain so I said let’s go again and I try again and it showed color on mri screen but I can’t even lift my arm above head without pain and feels 2x worst now so I advised everyone who gets it to know that you will feel tired and pain after depending on level of injury/pain on area you getting mri on. Grateful Jesus got me thru it so now I’m waiting a week or so too schedule a doctor visit now.
How are you doing now? Hours after having my scan I am having serious burning and pain in my legs, and it is getting worse. I’m also very tired, and dizzy, overall I just feel sick. I’m hoping and praying this is only temporary. I’m miserable.
I'm having one in 4 days not looking forward to it but my mysterious illness drives me crazy for almost 16 months now
check for Lyme disease
@@litafx00PilzeB sure thanks will do it
How did it go? All of the doctors I talk to dont believe Lyme disease is a thing. It's crazy.
so is there a test to see if its still in your body
DMPS challenge test which measures the level of various heavy metals in your tissues. I got one three months after a contrast MRI and the gaudolinium levels were off the charts
@@ekpyrotic21 So who paid for that? You? Insurance? Certainly they didn't.
this sounds like a probably video
One of the worst experiences of my life. Constant headache & pain in my eyes.
I have gadolinium poisoning now my muscles twitch 24/7 body wide
So sorry that is happening to you. You will be in my prayers 🙏
A contrast could see better but eventually it will show in a non contrast if you go every year for an MRI
Huh?
@@deirdremorris9234 What that person means to say is that if you really have a tumor you will know it anyway.
Just do it without contrast.
Or just do it once only with contrast to detect any problems earlier.
That's my opinion.
I had an MRI yesterday,I've felt a bit off since tbh
What happens when a patient has gad in the brain or another body part and then needs to have another MRI?
If they have more contrast, it accumulates. This was studied back in 2014, I believe.
I have RRMS I have mri with contrast soon i did it with contrast last year
i refused contrast
i take gilenya since 2018 now i have flu had loads of paracetmol
I developed Gadolinium Deposition Disease after one MRI scan with Gadovist. I was very healthy, had no preexisting conditions (MRI ruled anything out) and have normally functioning kidneys. No one seems to know why some people rarely develop this condition but I can tell l you it's absolutely devastating if you get it. Gadolinium is horrendously toxic in the body and causes a nasty host of systemic issues. I wouldn't recommend the contrast unless it's absolutely life or death. The risks are greatly downplayed and patient information on the actual risk is lacking because no one is studying people who develop GDD. They are just ignored by the medical community and most researchers who seem certain the is "no causation". It's ignorant and dishonest science. There will never be causation if you refuse to look.
I’m getting a shoulder MRI where they said I need the contrast dye. Is that necessary? I’m 23.. not sure if it’s worth it.
Hello,
I do not know whether it is necessary for your situation. We have a helpline that I usually defer to when I do not know something, but they are mostly trained to talk about prostate cancer, so they probably will not know if it is necessary for you, but they might be able to tell you about the risks and some of the reasons why radiologists choose to use contrast dyes. You can find their contact information at pcri.org/helpline.
Like most substances used in medicine, there is a small risk of allergy, which is almost always manageable since patients are already in the hospital if they have a reaction. That is probably the most significant risk even though it is very small. In this video, as you know, they discuss the phenomenon of the dye collecting in the brain; however, there has not been any evidence of that causing anyone any problems. Regardless, there are newer formulations of contrast that are designed to be less likely to collect in the body, and even though there is no evidence of it causing anyone harm, that does not mean that it certainly will not, and so, if contrast is necessary for a quality MRI, it seems better to err on the side of caution and get the contrast least likely to stay behind in the body. We have a video discussing it here: czcams.com/video/vwvtJp8VBKo/video.html
@@ThePCRI thank you so much for your quality response ❤️ it’s greatly appreciated.
Hey Drea I am schedule for this next week for the same reason. Did you got it done?
@@sindyvigil3262 hey! I didn’t get this test done because I had other things going on to where I put my shoulder on the back burner. Still planning on getting it but I did get an mri of my uterus done a few months ago when in the ER and They had to use the dye, It was fine!
@@sindyvigil3262 please return to let me know how your shoulder MRI goes!
Why add more to an image then need be? Stick to the basics for resolving and healing the situation.
VERY SCARY THEY WANTTO DO IT TO ME TO CK FOR A STROKE AND OTHER STUFF, VERY WORRIED.
It's worth the risk for stroke or other serious issues. Not worth the risk for things like "easing a patients anxiety" when there isn't a real need
@@ansnfbsknanssshshbsnsndnd5438 what would you consider serious? I'd consider anything that potentially needs contrast to be considered of significance.
That's total BS. The contrast "dye" has left me with severe headaches, bone pain, fatigue, brain fog and insomnia. Yet my MS has been stable for 9 years. It's like my MS is worse, yet the MRI says it's not worse. There's been a warning out since 2017 to NOT have subsequent infusions of this heavy metal, yet, neither of my Neuros go the memo. I've had at least one infusion for 14 years straight. NEVER AGAIN.
Eat healthy, exercise, more greens, cut lactose stuff, away from drama, take a walk in park alone or with your love one , and you don’t need to keep visiting DR office for unnecessary test. All of this test /scan are not good for your well being. There are always other ways to take care of health issues.
You're right. All the activities you mention will cure cancer, but science won't.
thank god, yup
The guy that is defending the contrast dye and saying as far as we know looks like he's had one too many contrast dyes