Background

There is an ongoing scientific debate about the degree and clinical importance of gadolinium deposition in the brain and other organs after administration of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). While most published data focus on gadolinium deposition in the brain, other organs are rarely investigated.

Purpose

To compare gadolinium tissue concentrations in various organs 10 weeks after one injection (comparable to a clinically applied dose) of linear and macrocyclic GBCAs in a large-animal model.

Materials and Methods

In this prospective animal study conducted from March to May 2018, 36 female Swiss-Alpine sheep (age range, 4–10 years) received one injection (0.1 mmol/kg) of macrocyclic GBCAs (gadobutrol, gadoteridol, and gadoterate meglumine), linear GBCAs (gadodiamide and gadobenate dimeglumine), or saline. Ten weeks after injection, sheep were sacrificed and tissues were harvested. Gadolinium concentrations were quantified with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Histologic staining was performed. Data were analyzed with nonparametric tests.

Results

At 10 weeks after injection, linear GBCAs resulted in highest mean gadolinium concentrations in the kidney (502 ng/g [95% CI: 270, 734]) and liver (445 ng/g [95% CI: 202, 687]), while low concentrations were found in the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) (30 ng/g [95% CI: 20, 41]). Tissue concentrations of linear GBCAs were three to 21 times higher compared with those of macrocyclic GBCAs. Administered macrocyclic GBCAs resulted in mean gadolinium concentrations of 86 ng/g (95% CI: 31, 141) (P = .08) in the kidney, 21 ng/g (95% CI: 4, 39) (P = .15) in liver tissue, and 10 ng/g (95% CI: 9, 12) (P > .99) in the DCN, which were not significantly elevated when compared with concentrations in control animals. No histopathologic alterations were observed irrespective of tissue concentrations within any examined organ.

Conclusion

Ten weeks after one injection of a clinically relevant dose of gadolinium-based contrast agents, the liver and kidney appeared to be reservoirs of gadolinium; however, despite gadolinium presence, no tissue injury was detected.

© RSNA, 2021

Online supplemental material is available for this article.

See also the editorial by Clément in this issue.

中文翻译：

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单剂量钆造影剂后钆组织在大型动物模型中的分布

背景

关于使用钆造影剂 (GBCA) 后钆在大脑和其他器官中沉积的程度和临床重要性，存在持续的科学争论。虽然大多数已发表的数据都集中在大脑中的钆沉积，但很少研究其他器官。

目的

在大型动物模型中比较线性和大环 GBCA 一次注射（与临床应用剂量相当）后 10 周后不同器官中的钆组织浓度。

材料和方法

在 2018 年 3 月至 5 月进行的这项前瞻性动物研究中，36 只雌性瑞士高山绵羊（年龄范围，4-10 岁）接受了一次注射 (0.1 mmol/kg) 大环 GBCA（钆布醇、钆特醇和钆酸葡甲胺）、线性GBCA（钆二酰胺和钆二甲胺）或生理盐水。注射后十周，处死羊并收获组织。钆浓度用电感耦合等离子体质谱法 (ICP-MS) 定量。进行组织学染色。用非参数检验分析数据。

结果

注射后 10 周，线性 GBCA 导致肾脏 (502 ng/g [95% CI: 270, 734]) 和肝脏 (445 ng/g [95% CI: 202, 687]) 平均钆浓度最高，而在小脑深部核 (DCN) 中发现低浓度 (30 ng/g [95% CI: 20, 41])。与大环 GBCA 相比，线性 GBCA 的组织浓度高出 3 到 21 倍。给予大环 GBCA 导致肾脏中平均钆浓度为 86 ng/g (95% CI: 31, 141) ( P = .08)，21 ng/g (95% CI: 4, 39) ( P = .15 ) 在肝组织中，和 10 ng/g (95% CI: 9, 12) ( P> .99) 在 DCN 中，与对照动物的浓度相比没有显着升高。无论任何检查器官内的组织浓度如何，均未观察到组织病理学改变。

结论

注射临床相关剂量的钆造影剂 10 周后，肝脏和肾脏似乎是钆的储存库；然而，尽管存在钆，但未检测到组织损伤。

©北美放射学会，2021

本文提供了在线补充材料。

另见本期 Clément 的社论。