Portable Blood Analyzer Expected to Help Prevent NSF
Patients at risk of renal failure or kidney disease have a new tool that can help radiologists determine the safety in use of Gadolinium in Magnetic Resonance Images. Gadolinium is a contrast agent used to highlight soft tissue in patients before an MRI. Gadolinium has been found to be linked to the devastating and sometimes deadly disease Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis in patients with renal failure or kidney disease. MEDRAD, Inc. has developed a handheld device called the i-STAT System that can be used to analyze patients’ blood on the spot and deliver results of a variety of diagnostics in less than 3 minutes. Test cartridges in the unit provide an array of nine metabolic tests in the measurement of renal function for those with diabetes, kidney insufficiency and advanced age. The i-STAT is expected to successfully predict patients’ risk for gadolinium induced Contrast Induced Nephropathy (CIN) and Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF). The device can thus help radiology departments more efficiently maximize safety and care.
