THE USE OF GADOTERIDOL IN MRI OF RHEUMATI C JOINT DISEASE

Purpose: To investigate the diagnostic and clinical usefulness of a ne w non-ionic, hydrophilic gadolinium (III) chelate [Gd(HP-DO3A), gadote ridol, ProHance] and to compare it with Gd-DTPA (gadopentetate dimeglu mine, Magnevist). Methods: In a Phase III clinical trial: 20 patients with rheumatic joint disease were examined before and after intravenou s administration of gadoteridol in two different doses (0.1 and 0.3 mm ol/kg bodyweight). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at 1 .5 T with T1-weighted FLASH and T2-weighted spin echo sequences. Fourt een patients were examined with gadopentetate dimeglumine for comparis on. Dynamic changes of signal intensity in the joints and muscle tissu e were determined quantitatively. Results: No significant changes in c ardiovascular data and no adverse effects occurred after injection of gadoteridol. The 0.3 mmol/kg dose showed no advantage in diagnostic co ntrast over the 0.1 mmol/kg dose. No significant differences (p > 0.01 ) were noted between gadoteridol and gadopentetate dimeglumine in pati ents with early rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusion: Gadoteridol proved u seful in the detection of early rheumatoid arthritis. No significant d ifferences were observed between the two gadoteridol doses. There were no diagnostically relevant differences between gadoteridol and gadope ntetate dimeglumine.