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AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

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American Journal of Neuroradiology 23:15-18, January 2002
© 2002 American Society of Neuroradiology

BRAIN

Comparison of Gadobenate Dimeglumine and Gadopentetate Dimeglumine: A Study of MR Imaging and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy in Rat Brain Tumors

Tian Zhang^a, Akira Matsumura^a, Tetsuya Yamamoto^a, Fumiyo Yoshida^a, Tadao Nose^a and Nobuhiro Shimojo^b

^a Department of Neurosurgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
^b Department of Environmental Medicine, Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

Address reprint requests to Akira Matsumura, Department of Neurosurgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: After the advent of extracellular contrast media, hepatobiliary-specific gadolinium chelates were developed to improve the diagnostic value of MR imaging of the liver. Gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) is a new paramagnetic contrast agent with partial biliary excretion that produces prolonged enhancement of liver parenchyma on T1-weighted images. However, whether Gd-BOPTA is useful as a contrast agent in central nervous system disease, particularly in brain tumors, is unclear.

METHODS: The behavior of Gd-BOPTA as a brain tumor–selective contrast agent was compared with that of gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA), an MR contrast agent used in central nervous system disease, in a common dose of 0.1 mmol/kg. An MR imaging study of these two contrast agents was performed, and tissue concentrations were measured with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).

RESULTS: Gd-BOPTA showed better MR imaging enhancement in brain tumors than did Gd-DTPA at every time course until 2 hours after administration and no enhancement in peritumoral tissue and normal brain. Corresponding results with ICP-AES showed significantly greater uptake of Gd-BOPTA in tumor samples than that in peritumoral tissue and normal brain 5 minutes after administration. Gadolinium was retained for a longer time in brain tumors when Gd-BOPTA rather than Gd-DTPA was administered.

CONCLUSION: Gd-BOPTA is a useful contrast agent for MR imaging in brain tumors and possibly an effective absorption agent for neutron capture therapy.