Patients who received gadolinium MRI dye may have grounds to pursue legal compensation as a result of unexpected side effects. A recent FDA warning says that gadolinium MRI dye can leave metal deposits behind, possibly causing an array of side effects.

Many patients don’t even know that they need to ask a critical question about whether or not the physician plans to use gadolinium MRI dye. The gadolinium based contrast agent may leave metal deposits in the patient’s tissues and bodily organs, including the brain. Currently, scientists have not yet completed research to determine whether the deposits harm patients.

A patient who gets an MRI might not know all the dangers of the use of contrast dye. In a medical situation in which the test is recommended for the purpose of diagnosis or to rule out other conditions, a patient might not be in a clear condition to know about the dye’s dangers or to make an informed decision.

Gadolinium contrast agent is a metal-based dye that is injected into the veins of the patients to enable the radiologist to better view the results the MRI scan. Approximately half of the millions of MRIs that are carried out throughout the United States may use gadolinium MRI dye.

Certain patients with healthy kidneys have reported getting sick from the gadolinium MRI dye and are pushing for more research surrounding this issue as well as warnings to the public. For years, doctors have warned patients who already have serious kidney problems, about the difficulty of using gadolinium MRI dye because the kidneys of these patients cannot always flush out the metal toxins in full.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted in fall 2017 to add a warning on labels that contain gadolinium since the metal deposits may be retained in certain organs, even for those patients who have healthy kidneys. Certain patients who believe they have already suffered the side effects of gadolinium MRI dye want to hold the makers responsible.

The FDA has received numerous reports of gadolinium side effects including rubbery skin, burning sensation in the torso and arms, joint and bone pain, impairment of memory, headaches, brain fog and tightness in the hands and feet. gadolinium may also be associated with problems linked to the deposits left behind after the MRI was completed.

Since research is still coming out on this issue, patients who go through the MRI machine might want further clarity from their doctors about whether or not the dye will be used. As more reports come in from those patients who suffered through side effects or serious kidney issues, more research may offer clarity about the risks involved in using gadolinium-based contrast agents.

A class action lawsuit investigation is currently seeking those patients who may have unknowingly received the gadolinium MRI dye and have been facing significant side effects and risks that they were not warned about. Those patients affected may be eligible to pursue a lawsuit and to recover compensation.