This is my brain on gadolinium. Any questions?
Gadolinium is a member of the Lanthanoid series of elements, formerly called rare earths, although now that more efficient extraction methods have been invented they aren't as rare as they once were.
Gadolinium has special meaning for me. Once during an MRI of my brain, I was injected with gadolinium. The procedure made me feel a bit like Wolverine. Anyway, because it is extremely magnetic, gadolinium emits a strong signal and shows up bright on an MRI. Without it, the soft tissues of the brain would appear much darker and harder to see. Thus it is called a "contrast medium". Thanks to gadolinium I now have proof that I do indeed have a brain.
This is my brain on gadolinium. Any questions?