Update to "MRI is safe, - the contrast agent only kills.
09.03.2010
MRI-industry hits back
The MRI-industry is busy whitewashing their gadolinium based contrast agents.
This is done via "scientific clinical studies".
The principle findings of these is based on the switch from one brand to another.
One clinic switches from contrast agent "A" to "B+C", another switches from
"B+C" to "A". Both conclude that their procedure is now safe.
At least some have the decency to mention limitations of their study as in the case
of researchers at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. This study was published online in Radiology on October 7, 2009 with Dr. Ersan Altun as lead author (1)
The use of a relatively short follow-up period was cited as a possible limitation. Because NSF generally develops in two to three months following gadolinium exposure in the majority of patients.
Naturally data was collected from patients in the care of the above two clinics and did not include patients who went there for an MRI only to return to their physician who may not associate symptoms with NSF that occur two or three months later, or even several months later. Not all affected patients develop fully blown NSF, some have a selection of NSF symptoms only.
Noteworthy is an Italian study that finds that half a dose of gadolinium works as well as a full dose:
"Until now, there has been no consensus on the ideal dose of contrast medium and the exact time of data acquisition," said lead author Dr. Iacopo Carbone from the University of Rome "La Sapienza." "We should take into account, especially in patients with acute myocardial infarct who already underwent administration of iodinated contrast media for primary angioplasty, that it is common sense to use as little as possible a dose of gadolinium to avoid the complication of NSF."
Dr Iacopo Carbone's clinical trial was conducted on 15 patients only. It had no commercial sponsor and hence fails to recommend a particular brand.
"Based on our results, we can conclude that a half dose of gadolinium-BOPTA gets comparable results to a full dose, with shorter acquisition times for the depiction of delayed enhancement in patients with acute myocardial infarction," Dr Iacopo Carbone said. "The use of gadolinium-BOPTA at the half dose can help reduce examination times, reduce costs, and especially could be very useful in patients at high risk for NSF."
The European Congress of Radiology (ECR) was held on Sunday, 7th March 2010,
in Vienna.
Dr. Olivier Clement, Ph.D., from European Hospital Georges Pompidou in Paris presented results from the CIRTACI study, a multicenter, prospective investigation in France examining contrast agent reactions over four and half years, concluding in March 2009. The study involved 31 centers at university hospitals in France.
The study focuses on reactions of both gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents and iodinated contrast agents. Five gadolinium agents were included in the trial, and ten iodinated products were included.
I shall report on this once it has been officially published and I've studied it in detail.
Gadolinium is here to stay, there are no indications that it will be withdrawn.
People are unaware, or nobody would dare to subject him/herself to such a procedure.
There are also no indications that allopathy is searching for a cure of NSF.
Such a cure would be counter-productive, it would tell the public that there is a problem.
It would hardly enhance the image of allopathy to say:
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