to Thorotrast had their median life-expectancy shortened by 14 years in comparison to a similar non-exposed control group. Thorium is no longer used in X-ray contrast agents for clinical use. Today, iodinated hydrophilic (water-soluble) molecules are universally used as injected contrast agents in clinical X-ray procedures. The Danish director Nils Malmros's movie, Facing the Truth (original Danish title At Kende Sandheden) from 2002, portrays the dilemma that faced Malmros's father, Richard Malmros, when treating his patients in the 1940s. Richard Malmros was deeply concerned about the persistence of Thorotrast in the body but was forced to use Thorotrast, because the only available alternative (per-abrodil) had serious immediate side-effects, suffered from image quality problems and was difficult to obtain during the Second World War. The use of Thorotrast in Denmark ended in 1947 when safer alternatives became available. Current use In the decades after the cessation of its clinical use, Thorotrast has sometimes been used in laboratory research to stain neural tissue samples for examination by historadiography. References Hepatotoxins IARC Group 1 carcinogens Health disasters Thorium Withdrawn drugs Radiocontrast agents