Q: Can the use of contrast materials for radiographic studies be harmful to patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
A: In the past few years there has been considerable concern in the nephrology community about the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents that are used as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with Stages 3 and 4 CKD appear to be at increased risk. Although gadolinium has been widely used for several years, there is recent evidence that this agent plays a central role in the development of acute renal failure (ARF), nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD) and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). The latter two entities are ...