Do you remember my post on gadolinium? If not, here it is: http://margaret.healthblogs.org/2009/12/13/the-gadolinium-used-in-mris-makes-myeloma-cells-proliferate/ (there is also a corresponding Page, which you can find by scrolling down my Page section on the right).

Well, today, thanks to a blog reader (see previous post, comment # 5), we have an interesting gadolinium update: http://goo.gl/nKdMz Like the ASH 2009 study discussed in my above-mentioned gadolinium post, this ProPublica article also discusses Omniscan, which is a commonly used gadolinium-containing contrast agent…It’s an easy read, so please check it out when you have a sec…

This article reminded me of my December 13 2010 post, the one titled “Why poke a sleeping tiger?” (see: http://margaret.healthblogs.org/2010/12/13/why-poke-a-sleeping-tiger/ Please read or re-read the first part of that post, in particular). The 72-year-old man in the case study had two FDG PET/CT tests done in a two-month period. That gave me pause for thought, especially after I had read the article by Dr. Akin, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC: http://goo.gl/hIctB Please pay particular attention to the last two paragraphs, where Dr. Akin cautions against having unnecessary and repetitive imaging etc. His thinking is akin to mine (sorry, couldn’t help myself…hehe).

Dr. Akin’s comments, in addition to all the stuff I have read in the past five years, lead me to conclude that we must be vigilant at all times and question our doctors if, e.g., they order potentially toxic tests to be repeated after only a short period of time. There may be a really good reason for repeat testing, but we need to know what it is…and we need to know why these tests are being ordered (=of course, I am referring to potentially harmful/toxic tests, not blood tests, etc.)…

Most importantly, under no circumstances should we allow any gadolinium-based crap to be injected into us. We must never ever forget that gadolinium (see my above-mentioned 2009 post) makes myeloma cells proliferate like crazy…

As usual, this is just my opinion…