Efficacy of gadoteridol for magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The efficacy of gadoteridol for contrast enhancement of central nervous system pathology was assessed in a multicenter clinical trial involving 411 patients suspected of having intracranial or spinal pathology.

METHODS

Magnetic resonance imaging was performed before and after intravenous administration of 0.10 mmol/kg gadoteridol. Two groups of images were interpreted by one of two neuroradiologists blinded to patient history. The results were analyzed separately.

RESULTS

Patients with radiologic evidence of disease demonstrated enhancement of intracranial pathologic lesions in 44 of 63 (70%) and in 91 of 111 (82%) cases, respectively, whereas enhancement of spinal lesions was observed in 36 of 58 (62%) and in 65 of 78 (83%) cases, respectively. Subjectively, postcontrast scans provided more information than precontrast images in 37 of 63 (59%) and 84 of 111 (76%) intracranial cases, respectively, and in 25 of 58 (43%) and 55 of 78 (71%) spinal cases, respectively. Additional information included the subjective sense that there was improved visualization of pathology and definition of lesion borders.

CONCLUSIONS

Subjective assessment of magnetic resonance scans suggest gadoteridol is an effective intravenous contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging.