A study published this week says gadolinium-based contrast agents for use with MRI are "very safe."

According to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology, national death rates are below one person per million injections. The study says vigilance and responsiveness on the part of radiologists and MRI teams is necessary to keep more severe reactions from turning fatal. 

The United States Food and Drug Administration approved five gadolinium-based contrast agents for use with MRIs. Researchers with the Journal retrospectively investigated the rates of adverse reactions to gadolinium-based contrast agents at Cornell and Columbia University Hospitals between 2000 and 2009. A total of 158,796 patients were administered gadolinium-based contrast agents at the two facilities, with a total of 140 adverse events reported. Based on FDA data, 40 deaths were reported out of 51 million administrations of the contrast agents.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents have been linked to the potentially fatal skin and tissue disease Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis. If you have developed NSF after being administered a gadolinium-based contrast agent, please contact the NSF Attorneys of Williams Kherkher by calling 800-761-3187.