The United States Food and Drug Administration said Tuesdayit approved a new gadolinium-based contrast agent injection.

According to officials with the agency, the new imaginginjection was developed and manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Thegadolinium-based injection will be used to improve the visibility of magneticresonance imaging scans. The new injection contains an agent that is designedto help detect blood flow abnormalities in the brain and central nervoussystem.

The FDA approved the new injection for adults and childrenof two years and older. Common side effects reported with the new drug includeheadache and nausea. Like all gadolinium-based imaging agents, the newinjection will carry a black box warning about the risk of nephrogenic systemicfibrosis, a rare and potentially fatal disease that causes pain and thickeningof skin in patients with kidney dysfunction.

If you have developed NSF after being administered agadolinium-based contrast agent, please contact the NSF Attorneys of WilliamsKherkher by calling 800-761-3187.