Peter Caravan1, Aashiyana Koreishi2, Jonathan Kay3
1Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; 2Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; 3Rheumatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a debilitating fibrosing disorder that can occur in renally compromised patients and has been linked to gadolinium (Gd) based contrast agents. We analyzed autopsy tissue from 3 confirmed NSF subjects. Gd was quantifiable in all tissues assayed and very high concentrations of Gd were observed in the kidney and the heart. High resolution relaxation time (T1, T2, T2*) maps suggest a heterogeneous distribution in kidney cortex. In the heart, the Gd had little T1 effect but a strong T2* effect suggesting an insoluble deposit and/or sequestration inside an endosome.