Precautions: Is MRI with Contrast Safe for People with Kidney Disease?

Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI is among the most preferred diagnostic imaging tests as it can provide important information on a range of injuries or diseases, which can help in proper diagnosis and treatment planning. There are times, however, when an MRI is done with a contrast material called gadolinium, which is injected through the patient’s veins, for better visualization of internal organs. Contrast agents that are given intravenously will be cleared from the body by the kidneys, so the renal functions of high risk patients are tested to determine the safety of gadolinium administration. 

 Risk of Contrast Dyes

 

Contrast agents can either cause adverse reactions in patients with kidney disease or simply lead to kidney problems in susceptible individuals. Two serious disorders that are related to gadolinium and the kidneys are nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) and contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). NSF typically affects the skin and other organs of patients with advanced chronic kidney disease after being injected with contrast agents that contain gadolinium. NSF signs and symptoms include itchy skin, red or dark patches on the skin, and muscle weakness. Meanwhile, CIN is a rare disorder that occurs in about 2 percent of patients with manifestations similar to that of kidney disease, namely fatigue, poor appetite, and swelling of ankles and feet. Both aforementioned disorders are reversible if caught early.

Importance of a Full Medical and Health History

Since the manifestations of poor kidney function doesn’t become too obvious until the later stages, radiology technicians and physicians see to it that they properly screen patients who are about to undergo an MRI with contrast. Prior to an MRI, a patient is interviewed and requested to complete an MRI screening questionnaire that helps in determining whether he or she has a high risk of developing a kidney problem with an MRI scan with contrast. Additional tests that determine kidney function, such as creatinine levels in the blood, may also be done.