What is the concern regarding gadolinium-based contrast agents?
At this time, only certain patients who receive GBCAs appear to be at an increased risk for developing a serious systemic fibrosing disease, NSF. The patients at risk are those with acute or chronic severe renal (kidney) insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73m2); or renal dysfunction due to the hepato-renal syndrome or in the perioperative liver transplantation period. In the hepato-renal syndrome or in the perioperative liver transplantation period, the risk applies to any severity of renal dysfunction. A possible association between NSF and GBCAs was first reported in a May 29, 2006 press release from the Danish Medicines Agency (DMA) and the April 2006 report by Grobner et al in Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation (2006) Vol 21 (4):1104-1108 and following erratum (2006) 21(6): 1745. Recent publications have provided additional important information implicating a role for GBCAs in the development of NSF among some patients. Researchers have found gadolinium i
