![]() ![]() The contrast dye makes pathological processes stand out in organs and tissues that would otherwise be invisible or unclear. Not all pathology causes symptoms (e.g., many cancers cause no symptoms early on, but can be diagnosed with imaging). For MRI contrast, that purpose is to aid physicians, such as radiologists, in identifying pathology – abnormal processes that occur in the human body that can cause symptoms in a patient. What is the Purpose of Contrast in a MRI Scan?Įverything we do in medicine has an underlying purpose. ![]() Until that data exists, it will be treated conservatively and only given in patients with adequate kidney function (eGFR >30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ). This agent is one of the newer agents and there currently isn’t enough data to determine the safety at this time. gadoxetic acid disodium salt (Eovist®, Primovist® ).They have been associated with minimal, if any, cases of NSF and are considered to be safe, even in patients with chronic kidney disease. These are the safest agents and the ones currently used in practice today. These are the contrast agents that led to concerns of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), which we’ll cover below. Because of this, they are no longer used as intravenous (IV) agents. These are the earliest MRI contrast agents and the least safe. Gadolinium-based agents are split into three different groups. The macrocyclic agents generally hold on to the gadolinium more tightly than the linear agents. Some are “linear” with the gadolinium ion next to it (like a sunset with the sun sitting on top of the water ) and others are “macrocyclic” with a circular/spherical chelator surrounding the gadolinium ion (the chelator tightly “hugs” the gadolinium). The gadolinium ion is “held” onto by something called a “chelator.” Each different cegfrontrast agent has a different chelator, which is what differentiates contrast agents from one another. These types of contrast material are administered by injection through a peripheral IV (or occasionally into a joint) and imaging is performed prior to and after the injection of the contrast. Gadolinium agents actually contain only a very small amount of gadolinium and exist as clear liquids. Unsure if you really need an MRI scan or if a CT would suffice? Check out my article CT Scan vs MRI: What’s the Difference? to find out.‘Our’ refers to radiologists – the physicians who interpret the MRI exams.Gadolinium is a unique element that has ideal properties for MRI, which greatly improves our ability to see abnormalities on MRI scans. This is why MRI contrast is often referred to as “gadolinium based contrast agents.” Gadolinium, a rare earth metal naturally occurring on Earth, is the element that adds contrast to MRI images and is actually used in ionic form (meaning it’s missing a few electrons and has a positive charge). Intravenous MRI contrast agents do exactly what their name implies: they add contrast (our ability to tell two adjacent things apart from one another such as a tumor in the liver from normal liver tissue – see example below) to MRI images. The better question? SHOULD you refuse contrast agents? In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about MRI contrast material. If you’re asking yourself this question, “Can I refuse contrast dye for MRI scans?,” you no longer need to wonder! ![]()
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