The International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) has provided new guidance in the use of contrast agents during MRI scans. Emerging research suggests gadolinium-based contrast agents, injected in a patient’s veins to brighten tissues in MRI images, accumulate in the brain. More than 300 million doses of such drugs have been administered since their introduction in 1987. gadolinium is not needed for a particular exam, it should not be administered. A risk-benefit analysis should happen for all exams.
Gadolinium-based contrast agents have a proven track record for accurate diagnosis and treatment monitoring of a large number of diseases including cancer, neurological pathology, heart disease, liver disease, and many other important conditions afflicting adults and children. They are associated with few side effects, the most serious of which are extremely infrequent and affect already sick patients with severe kidney failure. as at present, there is no evidence linking the brain deposits to health risks.
— source casemed.case.edu 2017-08-08