Why MRI is dangerous and how toxic substances are deposited

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a scan that allows your doctor to see detailed images of your organs and tissues. An MRI machine uses a large magnet, radio waves, and a computer to take detailed cross-sectional images of internal organs and tissues.

Short review

• Enhanced MRI scans use a contrast agent or dye to improve the clarity of the resulting images. A recent survey found that 58% of radiologists do not inform patients when toxic contrast media deposits are found
• The most frequently cited excuse for excluding any reference to gadolinium deposits in the radiology report is to avoid "unnecessary patient concern" about toxicity.
• Gadolinium, a toxic heavy metal, is the contrast agent of choice in about one third of cases. To reduce toxicity, it is administered together with a chelating agent. Studies show that up to 25% of the gadolinium administered is not excreted from the body, and in some patients, deposits are still observed for a long period of time.
• In a 2016 article, researchers propose to consider gadolinium deposition in the body as a new category of diseases, "gadolinium deposition disease"
• Patients at high risk for gadolinium deposits include those requiring multiple, lifelong doses, pregnant women, children, and patients with inflammatory conditions. Minimize the number of high-contrast MRIs performed if possible, especially when they are close in time.

The scanner looks like a tube with a table on which you enter the tunnel of the data collection machine. Unlike CT scanners or X-rays, which use ionizing radiation, which is known to damage DNA, MRI uses magnetic fields.

MRI images give doctors the best information about pathologies, tumors, cysts and specific problems with the heart, liver, uterus, kidneys and other organs.

In some cases, your doctor may want to enhance the MRI using contrast or dye to improve the clarity of the images. According to a recent international survey, most radiographers do not inform patients when deposits of toxic contrast agents are found.

FDA Guidelines for Gadolinium

Gadolinium is the preferred contrast agent in about a third of cases. It is injected into your body, allowing you to see more detail in MRI images. However, it comes at a cost as it is a highly toxic heavy metal.

To reduce toxicity, it is administered with a chelating agent. However, studies show that up to 25% of gadolinium given to patients is not cleared, and in some, deposits are still found over a long period of time.

In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began investigating the potential health effects of gadolinium deposits in the brain and issued guidance on the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) to reduce any potential risk.

Two years later, the agency released an update stating that "gadolinium retention is not directly related to adverse health effects in patients with normal kidney function" and that the benefits of GBCA outweigh the potential risks. However, the agency demanded the adoption of new class warnings and certain security measures. In a statement dated December 19, 2017, the FDA stated:

Patients themselves should ask to read the medication guide

However, while MRI centers are required to provide guidance on gadolinium treatment, inpatients newly scheduled for enhanced MRI do not need to receive guidance unless the patient specifically requests it. A rather annoying detail mentioned in the May 16, 2018 FDA update is this:

In other words, if they think you can say no to the procedure because you are worried about the toxicity of heavy metals, the healthcare professional is allowed to simply hide the safety information. This guide should only be provided if you specifically request it.

While the FDA decided not to restrict the use of any GBCA, the European Pharmaceutical Agency's Pharmacovigilance and Risk Assessment Committee recommended that the use of four linear gadolinium contrast agents, which were found to be less stable (and therefore more likely to accumulate in the brain and cause problems with kidney) than macrocyclic GBCA.

Most radiologists hide gadolinium deposits found

An equally disturbing finding is that 58% of radiographers hide gadolinium deposits from patients when they are found on scans. According to Health Imaging, the most frequently cited excuse for excluding any mention of gadolinium deposits from the radiological report is to avoid "unnecessary patient concern."

However, it also discourages patients from taking action to protect their health, which can be very important if they are experiencing the effects of gadolinium toxicity and have not yet realized the cause.

Until now, GBCA was considered to be most dangerous in individuals with severe kidney disease in whom exposure was associated with nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), a debilitating disease involving progressive fibrosis of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. To avoid this, patients with kidney disease need to receive more stable forms of gadolinium chelate.

However, the fact that gadolinium can accumulate in the brain (and throughout the body), even if you don't have kidney problems, can have significant, hitherto unrecognized dangers. For example, the use of GBCA has been associated with increased sensitivity in two areas of the brain (the dentate and the globus pallidus), the effects of which are still unknown.

The increased intensity in the dentate has previously been associated with multiple sclerosis, and according to more recent studies, it may actually be the result of the large number of enhanced MRI scans that MS patients usually receive. Meanwhile, globus pallidus hyperintensity was associated with liver dysfunction.

Researchers propose a new category of diseases due to gadolinium

In a 2016 article, Gadolinium in Humans: A Family of Disorders, the researchers actually propose that GBCA deposits in the body should be considered as a new category of disease. They write:

The researchers further note other common signs and symptoms of "gadolinium deposition disease" such as persistent headache, pain in bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments (often described as sharp tingling, stinging, or burning), tightness in the hands and feet, brain fog, and soft tissue thickening that "clinically appears somewhat spongy or rubbery without the hardness and redness seen with NSF."

The Norrises claim to have spent nearly $ 2 million to restore Gena's health, with little help. Even chelation therapy has had limited success.

Heavy metal toxicity is a common danger today

Heavy metals are widespread in the environment from industrial, agricultural, medical and technical pollution. Heavy metal toxicity has a documented potential for serious health consequences, including damage to the kidneys, nerves, cardiovascular, skeletal and endocrine systems.

The heavy metals most commonly associated with poisoning are arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium, which are also most common in environmental pollution. Symptoms of heavy metal poisoning vary according to the organ systems affected.

Scientists have found that heavy metals also increase oxidative stress secondary to free radical formation. Heavy metal toxicity testing includes analysis of blood, urine, hair, and nails for cumulative exposure. Detoxification can be difficult and must be done with proper care.

Consider the need for contrast MRI

The main takeaway is to avoid using MRI scans with contrast unless absolutely necessary. Often, doctors order these tests only in order to protect themselves from a legal point of view.

If this is your case, simply skip the contrast test. If necessary, consult with other doctors who can give you other advice.

This is especially important if you have a condition such as MS in which multiple MRIs are performed. Also remember that multiple MRIs with contrast will be especially dangerous if they are done close in time.

If you need an MRI, don't be afraid to look for a cheaper option

While I always recommend that you exercise caution when using medical diagnostic procedures, there are times when it is appropriate and beneficial to perform a specific test.

What many do not realize is that the fees for procedures can vary greatly depending on where they are performed. Hospitals tend to be the most expensive option for diagnostics and outpatient procedures, sometimes by a huge margin.

Selected diagnostic centers are alternative locations for services such as labs, X-rays and MRIs, often at a fraction of the cost charged by the hospitals. Private imaging centers are not affiliated with any particular hospital and are usually open Monday through Friday during office hours, in contrast to hospital radiology centers, which require a 24-hour staff presence.

Hospitals often charge higher fees for their services to offset the cost of running around the clock. Hospitals can also charge exorbitant fees for high-tech diagnostics like MRI to subsidize other poorly paid services. In addition, hospitals are allowed to charge Medicare and other third-party insurers for “service fees,” which further increases price inflation.

So if you find you need an MRI, don't be afraid to look for a cheaper option. With a few phone calls to diagnostic centers in your area, you can save up to 85% of what the hospital will charge for the same service.