Comparison of Gadobenate Dimeglumine with Gadopentetate Dimeglumine for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Liver Tumors

Abstract

Kuwatsuru R, Kadoya M, Ohtomo K, et al. Comparison of gadobenate dimeglumine with gadopentetate dimeglumine for magnetic resonance imaging of liver tumors. Invest Radiol 2001;36:632–641. To compare gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) with gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) for magnetic resonance imaging of the liver. The contrast agent Gd-BOPTA or Gd-DTPA was administered at a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg to 257 patients suspected of having malignant liver tumors. Dynamic phase images, spin-echo images obtained within 10 minutes of injection, and delayed images obtained 40 to 120 minutes after injection were acquired. All postcontrast images were compared with unenhanced T1-weighted and T2-weighted images obtained immediately before injection. A full safety assessment was performed. The contrast efficacy for dynamic phase imaging was moderately or markedly improved in 90.9% (110/121) and 87.9% (109/124) of patients for Gd-BOPTA and Gd-DTPA, respectively. At 40 to 120 minutes after injection, the cor- responding improvements were 21.7% (26/120) and 11.6% (14/121) for spin-echo sequences and 44.5% (53/119) and 19.0% (23/121) for breath-hold gradient-echo sequences, respectively. The differences at 40 to 120 minutes after injection were statistically significant (P P The efficacy of Gd-BOPTA is equivalent to that of Gd-DTPA for liver imaging during the dynamic phase and superior during the delayed (40–120 minutes) phase of contrast enhancement. Both agents are safe for use in magnetic resonance imaging of the liver.