Does Gadopentetate Dimeglumine Induce Gadolinium Accumulation in the Brains of Children?
Abstract
Aim: To determine T1-weighted (T1W) signal intensity (SI) differences in the dentate nucleus (DN) and globus pallidus (GP) following contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with multiple gadopentetate dimeglumine administrations in a group of pediatric patients.
Methods and materials: This retrospective study included children with at least two enhanced brain MRIs. All patients received gadopentetate dimeglumine intravenously (0.1 mmol/kg). SI measurements were done by drawing five region of interests (ROI) on dentate nuclei (DN) and globus pallidi (GP) bilaterally and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) in unenhanced T1W images. Student t-test was used for comparison of SI. Pearson correlation was calculated for the correlation between the SI and the number of gadolinium administrations.
Results: A total of 31 children (age range: 3-17 years; mean 10.6±4.3 years) were included. There was no significant difference between the first and the third MRI scans by means of the T1 SI ratios: right and left DN/CSF, right and left GP/CSF (P =0.543, P =0.599, P =0.803, P =0.730, respectively). 18 patients received more than two gadopentetate dimeglumine, the mean number of administrations was 5±3. A significant difference was detected between first and last MRI scans; right and left DN/CSF, right and left GP/CSF (P=0.0004, P=0.0008, P=0.0001, P=0.014 respectively). Correlation between the number of gadopentetate dimeglumine administrations and the SI for right and left DN/CSF, right and left GP/CSF (r=0.13, r=0.13, r=0.09 and r=0.12, respectively) was poor.
Conclusion: There was no significant T1 SI increase for children with at least two gadopentetate dimeglumine administrations but after multiple administrations, significant T1 SI increase was found in this series.
Keywords
References
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