When most of us go to the doctor or to the hospital for routine procedures, we want to be able to trust the medical professionals working with us to be cautious, to use the right techniques and to avoid using methods and materials that are inherently dangerous.
For example, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan is considered fairly routine. Most of the commonly available literature will explain that there are no known side-effects to these scans. But what if the chemical agents used in the procedure are harmful and cause dangerous side effects?
Gadolinium Based Contrast Agents (GBCA)
MRI scans are scans of the inside of patient’s body, producing images that doctors can use for diagnostic purposes, not unlike x-ray technology, though MRIs are generally considered safer. However, a significant percentage of MRI scans use GBCAs as part of the procedure. A contrast agent is used to make the images sharper.
Contrast agents that use Gadolinium, however, can have serious consequences. Gadolinium has a tendency to break up and be retained in the body’s bones, skin, brain and other parts of the body.
When retained from exposure during an MRI, Gadolinium deposition disease can result, leaving patients with bone and joint pain and discomfort, slowness of thought and confusion (often called “brain fog”), headaches and skin discoloration and pain.
These are serious conditions.
If you or anyone you love has experienced these conditions, contact an attorney as soon as possible.
