Not a week goes by that we don’t get calls or emails from people concerned about gadolinium toxicity from MRI contrast agents. Some mention being told that this exposure couldn’t possibly be the cause of their symptoms.
Gadolinium is highly toxic, and the scientific record shows that it deposits in tissues of the body, including the brain, even in people with normal kidney function. Still, there’s some reluctance to prematurely attribute new post-MRI symptoms to a disease state.
That reluctance is one of the reasons why the American College of Radiology Committee on Drugs and Contrast Media has proposed a new name for what some patients experience: SAGE, which stands for Symptoms Associated with Gadolinium Exposure. “Furthermore,” as Health Imaging recently reported,
the committee recommends using SAGE in lieu of terms like gadolinium storage disease, gadolinium storage condition and gadolinium deposition disease.
“Such a term provides the opportunity for further refinement should future evidence surface that compels the FDA, American College of Radiology, and other entities to re-evaluate the potential causal association between long-term gadolinium retention and symptoms,” Robert J. McDonald, MD, PhD, with Mayo Clinic’s Department of Radiology, and co-authors added.
In the meantime, Dr. Joe consistently sees patients who test positive for heavy metals exposure following multiple MRIs and improve after a sensible course of chelation and appropriate adjunct therapies.
Other times, new symptoms may just be coincidental with their most recent MRI. In that case, making a proper diagnosis is the key to working up a custom treatment plan to address what’s really going on.
That’s the beauty of functional medicine: It’s about more than treating mere symptoms. It’s about identifying and treating causes, easing symptoms in the process. This means looking at the dynamics of the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – so you can take a more comprehensive, holistic approach to healing through a blend of the best of conventional and naturopathic medicine alike.
Ready to learn more about gadolinium toxicity, how it’s diagnosed, and what you can do to find out and get on your way to feeling better? Check out these posts from our archives:
- Questions About Gadolinium Toxicity? Start Here
- A Heavy Metal You May Have Only Just Heard Of: Gadolinium
- Why EDTA Is the Right Chelator for Gadolinium
If you have questions not answered in those posts – or if you’re ready to schedule your first appointment for evaluation – just give us a call at 310-268-8466. We’re always happy to speak with you!