Purpose
Gadobenate dimeglumine is a high relaxivity contrast agent which has demonstrated to produce an effective contrast enhancement at a lower dosage in respect of normal-relaxivity contrast agents in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) [1] as in breast-MRI [2].
The purpose of this study was to compare 0.075 mmol/kg of gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) and 0.1 mmol/kg of gadoterate meglumine (Gd-DOTA) as contrast material administration regimen in routine neuroradiology MRI.
Gd-BOPTA properties are shown in Figure 1.
Methods and Materials
At our institution,
type and dosage of contrast material for neuro-MRI changed from 0.1 mmol/kg of Gd-DOTA to 0.075 mmol/kg of Gd-BOPTA beginning on February 2nd 2011,
without any change of imaging protocol at 1.5 T (Siemens Sonata).
The first 64 examinations performed with the new contrast administration regimen were compared with 64 examinations performed with the old regimen,
matched for examination type (29 brain,
7 cervical spine,
8 thoracic spine,
14 lumbar spine,
6 head/neck).
Each examination was evaluated blinded to the contrast regimen...
Results
Out of 64 examinations,
the contrast enhancement score was poor in 7,
sufficient in 19,
and good in 38 in the Gd-DOTA group; it was 5,
14,
and 45,
respectively,
in the Gd-BOPTA group.
The score difference between the two groups was not significant (p=.431).
Out of the 18 patients studied with both contrast administration regimen,
mean SI in the Gd-BOPTA group (606 au) was larger (p=.002) than that obtained in the Gd-DOTA group (547 au); similarly,
for the lesion contrast enhancement (481 au Vs...
Conclusion
These preliminary data support the hypothesis that a 25% reduced dose of a 0.5-M high-relaxivity contrast material (Gd-BOPTA) is at least equivalent to a single dose of a 0.5-M standard relaxivity contrast material (Gd-DOTA) for routine use in neuro-MRI.
Contrast dosage can be reduced for neurological application of MRI without loss of image quality.
This could be important in the management of patient with impaired renal function.
References
[1]Papini GD,
Tritella S,
Secchi F,
Aliprandi A,
Di Leo G,
Sardanelli F.
Myocardial delayed enhancement using a single dose (0.1 mmol/kg) of gadobenate dimeglumine: contrast resolution versus intraventricular blood and viable myocardium.
Radiol Med.
2010 Aug;115(5):693-701.
[2]Carbonaro LA,
Pediconi F,
Verardi N,
Trimboli RM,
Calabrese M,
Sardanelli F.
Breast MRI using a high-relaxivity contrast agent: an overview.
AJR Am J Roentgenol.
2011 Apr;196(4):942-55