HIGH-DOSE APPLICATIONS OF GADOLINIUM CHELATES IN MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

Administration of gadolinium chclates at doses greater than 0.1 mmol/kg IV can potentially improve both lesion detection and the assessment of tissue perfusion. Preliminary results are presented in clinical patients and two animal models. In human intracranial metastatic disease, administration of 0.3 (cumulative dose) mmol/kg gadoteridol (Gd HP‐DO3A) has permitted detection of additional lesions not visualized at 0.1 mmol/kg. In a rabbit model of focal liver disease, 0.5 mmol/kg IV provided superior enhancement of both normal parenchyma and lesion rim compared to doses of 0.25 and 0.1. Dynamic imaging (T1‐weighted turbo‐FLASH) immediately following bolus injection of 0.5 mmol/kg permitted direct visualization (on unsubtracted images) of an acute perfusion defect in the cat brain not visible on conventional T1‐ and T2‐weighted scans. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc. Copyright © 1991 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company