One of the biggest concerns in radiology in recent years is the safety of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Radiologists and patients began to question the safety of gadolinium a few years ago when a study came out in late 2014 showing the agent is deposited and retained in the brain.[1] This, combined with a small percentage of patients who claim their health was harmed following gadolinium exams, has sparked a big debate in radiology over the safety of these agents. 

Gadolinium has no large-scale applications, but it has a variety of specialized uses. Because 157Gd has a high neutron cross-section, it is used to target tumors in neutron therapy

tarnishes quickly in moist air, forming a loosely-adhering gadolinium(III) oxide (Gd2O3): 4 Gd + 3 O2 → 2 Gd2O3,