We started the Lighthouse Project to shed light on the effects of retained Gadolinium from Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents (GBCAs) used for contrast-enhanced MRIs and MRAs. This website is part of our effort to increase awareness of the effects of Gadolinium Toxicity.

GBCAs are generally thought to be safe to use in patients with good kidney function. However, retention of Gadolinium is known to have serious consequences including the incurable and potentially life-threatening disease known as Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis or NSF.

– – – – B U L L E T I N – – – – On December 5, 2018 we released our 5th independent research paper titled “Gadolinium Clearance Times for 135 Contrast MRI Cases, Including Urine Test Results by Agent Administered for 63 Unconfounded Cases” This is the first time we have reported results from the Support Group by agent and it shows that gadolinium did not clear out in a few days for any agent, but continues to circulate significantly longer than is expected to occur. This likely explains those patients’ symptoms of gadolinium toxicity. Read our full post and the study here.

Since we launched our website in 2014, there has been a significant amount of new research published that indicates that gadolinium is being deposited in the brain. As a result of those findings, on July 27, 2015, the FDA released its first Safety Announcement regarding gadolinium retention in patients with normal kidney function. The FDA is investigating the risk of brain deposits of gadolinium following repeated use of GBCAs for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While GBCAs are being investigated, they can still be administered; however, health care professionals have been cautioned to limit GBCA use to circumstances in which the use of contrast is deemed necessary.

We created this website as a way to alert people to a problem that was not yet recognized by the FDA and medical industry. Now more than a mode of alerting people to a problem, we are an authoritative source for information related to Gadolinium Toxicity. While we wait for the FDA investigation to be completed, we will continue to work for those patients who already have been adversely affected by retained gadolinium.

Background and Reference Material

As patients affected by Gadolinium Toxicity from contrast MRIs, we have been researching the topic since 2010. Important findings from our research, including those that show retention of Gadolinium occurs in patients with normal kidney function, can be found throughout the pages of the Background section as well as in the Research and Library sections of our website.

Help for Those Affected

We understand what a patient goes through when he or she first realizes that the contrast agent they received for an MRI may be the cause of their unexplained symptoms. We also know the fear of not knowing what to do or what might happen next. When your doctor has never heard of Gadolinium Toxicity, it can make things even more difficult. We want to help you. You will find information related to testing for Gadolinium, the symptoms of Gadolinium Toxicity, possible treatments, and more in the Help section.

Advocacy

Our goal is to have Gadolinium Toxicity recognized as a serious medical condition that can potentially happen to any Gadolinium-exposed patient. Toward that end, we have devoted our time to Patient Advocacy efforts by authoring several papers that have been sent to the FDA as well as many prominent members of the medical community, and we have developed important contacts within the Radiology and MRI safety communities. In September of 2017, we made a presentation at a public meeting of the FDA’s Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee about gadolinium retention from GBCAs. You can read more about our efforts in Advocacy.

News

We strive to keep up-to-date on the latest research findings and safety announcements. The News section is your one-stop source for recently published information related to gadolinium retention and GBCA safety. It is also where you will find our editorials on related topics.

Viewpoints

Since there is almost no help or even understanding that patients can get from their doctors about how to deal with Gadolinium Toxicity, we rely on each other. In Viewpoints you will find thoughts, ideas, personal reflections and experiences in dealing with the effects of Gadolinium Toxicity.

Support Group

Another source of information and support for people affected by retained Gadolinium can be found at the MRI-Gadolinium-Toxicity Support Group. It is a private group that only grants membership to people who suspect they have been affected by Gadolinium Toxicity or their family members. It is great way to interact with others and share experiences in a way that provides support to everyone involved. Personal information from the Support Group will never be posted on this website.

Note that the Support Group was previously hosted at Yahoo, but in October, 2019, when Yahoo significantly reduced the functionality of their Groups, we moved it to another groups hosting company, preserving all of the postings, users, etc. The Group can be found at https://groups.io/g/MRI-Gadolinium-Toxicity .

We are sorry you had to seek out information about Gadolinium Toxicity, but we are glad you found us.

Disclaimer – GadoliniumToxicity.com is for general information purposes only. No one affiliated with this website is a medical professional and nothing presented is intended nor recommended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or symptom.

Always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare professional before trying any treatments or supplements mentioned anywhere on GadoliniumToxicity.com. Health-related research is ongoing and the information contained on this website may not include the latest published research. Content is based on the information available as of the time of posting on GadoliniumToxicity.com.