Efficacy of gadoteridol for magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The efficacy of gadoteridol for contrast enhancement of central nervous system pathology was assessed in a multicenter clinical trial involving 411 patients suspected of having intracranial or spinal pathology. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging was performed before and after intravenous administration of 0.10 mmol/kg gadoteridol. Two groups of images were interpreted by one of two neuroradiologists blinded to patient history. The results were analyzed separately. RESULTS: Patients with radiologic evidence of disease demonstrated enhancement of intracranial pathologic lesions in 44 of 63 (70%) and in 91 of 111 (82%) cases, respectively, whereas enhancement of spinal lesions was observed in 36 of 58 (62%) and in 65 of 78 (83%) cases, respectively. Subjectively, postcontrast scans provided more information than precontrast images in 37 of 63 (59%) and 84 of 111 (76%) intracranial cases, respectively, and in 25 of 58 (43%) and 55 of 78 (71%) spinal cases, respectively. Additional information included the subjective sense that there was improved visualization of pathology and definition of lesion borders. CONCLUSIONS: Subjective assessment of magnetic resonance scans suggest gadoteridol is an effective intravenous contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging.