Can the risk of gadolinium be extrapolated to lanthanum?
The recent recognition of gadolinium (Gd) administration as a cause of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a growing concern. The similarity of Gd and lanthanum (La), based on their place in the table of Mendeljev, has led to assumptions that the NSF risk of Gd in patients with kidney disease can de extrapolated to La. However, Gd and La, two trivalent cations, differ substantially in their metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and most importantly in their clinical use and toxicity. Thus, it is extremely unlikely that La can cause NSF.
