Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is a recently diagnosed disease that occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease and acute renal failure. The patients develop skin thickening and fibrosis which is usually symmetrical, and typically of the upper and lower extremities. In some cases the progression is rapid leading to joint contractures confining the patient to a wheelchair. Systemic involvement...

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, initially called nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy, has been strongly linked to exposure to gadolinium-based contrast media used in magnetic resonance imaging in patients with renal insufficiency. This review discusses recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical approach to patients with chronic kidney disease who require diagnostic ima...

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a rare and a debilitating disease noted uncommonly in patients with impaired renal function when exposed to low-stability gadolinium-based contrast agents (Gd-CAs). According to experimental studies, cytokines released by the stimulation of effector cells such as skin macrophages and peripheral blood monocytes activate circulating fibroblasts which play a ...

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a new, rare, and severe disease occurring in patients with renal failure who have been exposed to gadolinium. The pathogenesis of NSF is not completely known. In fact, the first warning about a significant relationship between NSF and gadolinium (a contrast medium used in magnetic resonance imaging) was only issued in 2006. No cases of NSF have been report...

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a fibrosing disorder seen in patients with renal dysfunction, commonly precipitated by administration of gadolinium contrast. There is no consistently successful treatment, but oral steroids, topical dovonex, extracorporeal photopheresis, and plasmapheresis have been tried [http://www.icnfdr.org/ Last accessed: 1/6/2017]. Avoidance of gadolinium in such pa...

When first described in 2000, NSF was noted to occur predominantly in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly in patients on dialysis. In 2006 several groups noted a strong association between gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) administration in patients with advanced renal disease and the development of NSF [1,2], and it is now generally accepted that GBCA exposu...

In these patients, avoid use of gadolinium-based contrast agents unless the diagnostic information is essential and not available with non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MR). NSF may result in fatal or debilitating systemic fibrosis affecting the skin, muscle and internal organs. Screen all patients for renal dysfuction by obtaining a history and/or laboratory tests. When adminis...