Back in 1977, the magnetic resonance imaging system came onto the medical scene. Since then, the MRI has helped revolutionize modern medicine since the images received show doctors more than X-rays and other imaging systems of the time. This machine helps to diagnose conditions such as stroke, brain tumors and more that could have gone undetected otherwise. With all of the benefits associated with this machine, the potential harm was largely ignored until May 2018. Now, an MRI could result in pharmaceutical litigation from patients here in Ohio and elsewhere.
In 1988, it was discovered that the use of Gadolinium-based contrast agents helped medical professionals receive even better images when using an MRI. This rare-earth metal, which is silvery-white in color, enhances images. The medical and pharmaceutical communities told everyone that Gadolinium was safe to use since the kidneys quickly process and eliminate it from the body. Last May, the Food and Drug Administration announced that may not be the case.
Patients who undergo MRIs could suffer from a variety of symptoms, some serious or debilitating, that range from chronic headaches to hardening or thickening of the skin in the extremities. This last symptom is part of a condition called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, which could be life threatening. The medical community has yet to find a cure for it either.
If you see a doctor because you are experiencing certain symptoms, and the doctor asks you whether you recently had an MRI, that could be an indication that a Gadolinium-related condition may be the cause. If further testing and investigation determine that to be the case, pharmaceutical litigation filed in an Ohio court could be the appropriate course of action. Under these circumstances, gaining knowledge of your rights and legal options could be the first step.
