Dentate nucleus signal intensity changes on T1-weighted MRI after repeated administrations of linear and macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents: a pediatric intraindividual case-control study
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online July, 2022
Dentate nucleus signal intensity changes on T1-weighted MRI after repeated administrations of linear and macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents: a pediatric intraindividual case-control study
An association between consecutive administrations of macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent (mcGBCA) gadobutrol and linear (L)-GBCA gadopentetate dimeglumine and gadolinium retention in the pediatric brain remains incompletely understood.
Purpose
To compare signal intensity (SI) changes in the dentate nucleus (DN) on unenhanced T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) in children who obtained mcGBCA gadobutrol with those who had previously received L-GBCA gadopentetate dimeglumine.
Material and Methods
This retrospective study included 27 children who received L-GBCA gadopentetate dimeglumine followed by mcGBCA gadobutrol and two different control groups matched for age and sex for both periods, each involving 27 individuals with no GBCA administration from January 2010 to January 2020. DN-to-middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) SI ratios on T1WI were determined. A repeated-measures ANOVA was performed to compare the T1WI SI ratio between children exposed to GBCA in each of the two periods and controls. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to determine any correlation between SI ratios and confounding parameters.
Results
T1WI SI ratio was significantly higher in those who had only L-GBCA (1.005±0.087) or subsequent mcGBCA gadobutrol (1.002±0.104) than in control groups 1 (0.927±0.041; P<0.001) and 2 (0.930±0.041; P=0.002), respectively, but no significant difference of the T1WI SI ratio was noted between L-GBCA period and subsequent mcGBCA gadobutrol period (P=0.917). T1WI SI ratios and the L-GBCA administration number revealed a modest but significant correlation (correlation coefficient=0.034; P=0.016).
Conclusion
Previous administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine is associated with increased T1WI SI in the DN, while subsequent administration of gadobutrol does not demonstrate any additional SI increase in the pediatric brain.
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