For a MRI , the MeGadore project

As part of environmental responsibility, the IRM team at Caen Normandy University Hospital has set itself the objective of reducing pollution associated with the use of gadolinium.

What is the MeGadore project?

Born at Brest University Hospital, under the leadership of professors Douraied Ben Salem, neuroradiologist, Jean-Alix Barrat, geochemist and researcher at the marine environmental sciences laboratory (Lemar) and Raphael Tripier, chemist and researcher at the chemistry laboratory, molecular electrochemistry and analytical chemistry, the MeGadore project proposes to all radiology departments the creation of a gadolinium recycling sector.

The team of medical electroradiology technicians from the MRI department of the CHU adhered to this protocol.

What is gadolinium?

Gadolinium is a contrast agent required in MRI which is part of the rare earth category. It is used chelated (chelation is a process aimed at coating metals in the body) and is not transformed by the human body. The extraction of these rare earths is a particularly polluting activity.

How to recover gadolinium?

Several possibilities :

in wastewater [titanic and expensive task],
in the urine of patients [currently under study],
in gadolinium syringes or vials

The MeGadore protocol is based on the recovery and reprocessing of this surplus.
The recovery bottles are provided by the promoters of the protocol who centralize the returns to send them to a recycling plant.
“This is a step which presents a significant secondary advantage: the quantity of Waste from Healthcare Activities with Infectious Risks ( DASRI MRI sector has significantly decreased. » specifies the service.