Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Differences in molecular properties between one-molar and half-molar gadolinium-based contrast agents are thought to affect parameters obtained from dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. The aim of our study was to investigate differences in dynamic contrast-enhanced parameters between one-molar nonionic gadobutrol and half-molar ionic gadoterate meglumine in patients with posttreatment glioma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 32 patients who underwent 2 20-minute dynamic contrast-enhanced examinations, one with gadobutrol and one with gadoterate meglumine. The model-free parameter of area under the signal intensity curve from 30 to 1100 seconds and the Tofts model–based pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated and compared intraindividually using paired t tests. Patients were further divided into progression (n = 12) and stable (n = 20) groups, which were compared using Student t tests.
RESULTS: Gadobutrol and gadoterate meglumine did not show any significant differences in the area under the signal intensity curve or pharmacokinetic parameters of Ktrans, Ve, Vp, or Kep (all P > .05). Gadobutrol showed a significantly higher mean wash-in rate (0.83 ± 0.64 versus 0.29 ± 0.63, P = .013) and a significantly lower mean washout rate (0.001 ± 0.0001 versus 0.002 ± 0.002, P = .02) than gadoterate meglumine. Trends toward higher area under the curve, Ktrans, Ve, Vp, wash-in, and washout rates and lower Kep were observed in the progression group in comparison with the treatment-related-change group, regardless of the contrast agent used.
CONCLUSIONS: Model-free and pharmacokinetic parameters did not show any significant differences between the 2 gadolinium-based contrast agents, except for a higher wash-in rate with gadobutrol and a higher washout rate with gadoterate meglumine, supporting the interchangeable use of gadolinium-based contrast agents for dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging in patients with posttreatment glioma.
ABBREVIATIONS:
- DCE
- dynamic contrast-enhanced
- CE
- contrast-enhanced
- GBCA
- gadolinium-based contrast agent
- IAUC
- initial area under the time-to-signal intensity curve
- Kep
- rate transfer constant
- Ktrans
- volume transfer constant
- Ve
- extravascular-extracellular space per unit volume of tissue
- Vp
- blood plasma volume per unit volume of tissue
- WHO
- World Health Organization
- © 2020 by American Journal of Neuroradiology
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