Symptoms by Body System
Symptoms reported within the first 3 months after last MRI with GBCA (WITH Group - 185 patients with confirmed gadolinium retention)
Nervous System
Skeletal System
Integumentary System (Skin)
Endocrine System
Cardiovascular & Circulatory System
Digestive System
Respiratory System
Urinary System
Survey Methodology
Participants
- 316 patients with normal or near-normal renal function who experienced symptoms after an MRI with a GBCA
- 185 patients had a laboratory test confirming gadolinium retention 30 days or longer after their last MRI (WITH Group)
- 131 patients did not have gadolinium testing performed (WITHOUT Group)
- 8 patients with biopsy-confirmed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF Group)
Survey Design
The online Patient Survey was created using SurveyMonkey and included 60 symptoms compiled from patient reports, published literature on Gadolinium Deposition Disease (GDD), and Symptoms Associated with Gadolinium Exposure (SAGE). Participants completed the survey without knowledge of other participants' responses.
Geographic Distribution
Patients from around the world participated: 220 from the United States, 12 from Australia, 30 from Germany, 19 from the UK, 12 from Canada, and others from 20+ additional countries.
Important Conclusions
The symptoms reported by those with normal renal function closely match the early phase symptoms of NSF as well as the responses of the NSF Group in this survey. This pattern consistency supports the hypothesis of a gadolinium-related symptom spectrum that extends to those with normal renal function.
Evidence of harm can be found in how body systems dysfunction due to gadolinium's interference with various processes, particularly those that require calcium for proper function. The number of survey responses linked to the nervous system is consistent with gadolinium's documented toxic effects on calcium channels, as acknowledged by the FDA in a 2007 Memorandum.
The Patient Survey results warrant a comprehensive investigation into the long-term adverse health effects of gadolinium retained in connective tissues and glandular tissues in all patient populations.
The symptoms data from this Patient Survey combined with the FDA's 2007 Memorandum that stated, "unchelated gadolinium is a very toxic compound, particularly to the liver and to calcium channels," warrant acknowledgement that retained gadolinium can cause harm to patients with normal renal function, just as it did to some renally impaired patients diagnosed with NSF.
BADGaD & Overlapping Conditions
Many patients with BADGaD (bad adverse effects of gadolinium) can have unknown multiple afflictions going on, either before or after their gadolinium poisoning. These overlapping conditions can include infections, toxic exposures, and metabolic deficiencies that may mimic, mask, or amplify gadolinium-related symptoms.
These additional contributors need to be recognized and carefully investigated rather than dismissed or treated as a single, simple diagnosis. When symptoms are complex and multi-system, it is reasonable to screen for other factors such as chronic infections, mold and biotoxins, EMF sensitivity, medication toxicities, other heavy metals, and nutritional deficiencies that can interact with gadolinium-related illness.
Citation
Williams, S., Grimm, H., Ratnam, S., Walsh, C. (2025). Signs & Symptoms after Gadolinium Administration: A Patient Survey. Report 1: Symptoms Paralleling Early-Phase NSF. Published Online: GadoliniumToxicity.com
Learn More About Patient Experiences
Gadolinium Deposition and Toxicity: Humanizing a Life-Changing Event by Debbie Heist Lambert offers a patient perspective on gadolinium deposition and toxicity, humanizing this life-changing event through personal experiences shared by patients from around the world. The heartfelt stories in these pages represent real examples of adverse reactions and events following one or more injections of GBCA (gadolinium-based contrast agent), providing insight into the signs, side-effects, symptoms, and associations that patients report.
View Book on AmazonSources and Review
Author: Gadolinium.org Editorial Team (Patient-Led Education)
Last reviewed: February 21, 2026
Medical review context: Reviewed against published patient-survey findings and physician-linked educational sources on this page.
This page is for education only and is not a diagnosis or treatment plan.