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Dose‐Lowering in Contrast‐Enhanced MRI of the Central Nervous System: A Retrospective, Parallel‐Group Comparison Using Gadobenate Dimeglumine
Author(s) -
DeLano Mark C.,
Spampinato Maria Vittoria,
Chang Eric Y.,
Barr Richard G.,
Lichtenstein Richard J.,
Colosimo Cesare,
Vymazal Josef,
Wen Zhibo,
Lin Doris D. M.,
Kirchin Miles A.,
Pirovano Gianpaolo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.27731
Subject(s) - medicine , contrast (vision) , central nervous system , nuclear medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology , computer science , artificial intelligence
Background Concerns over gadolinium (Gd) retention encourage the use of lower Gd doses. However, lower Gd doses may compromise imaging performance. Higher relaxivity gadobenate may be suited to reduced dose protocols. Purpose To compare 0.05 mmol/kg and 0.1 mmol/kg gadobenate in patients undergoing enhanced MRI of the central nervous system (CNS). Study Type Retrospective, multicenter. Population Three hundred and fifty‐two patients receiving 0.05 ( n = 181) or 0.1 ( n = 171) mmol/kg gadobenate. Field Strength/Sequences 1.5 T and 3.0 T/precontrast and postcontrast T1‐weighted spin echo/fast spin echo (SE/FSE) and/or gradient echo/fast field echo (GRE/FFE); precontrast T2‐weighted FSE and T2‐FLAIR. Assessment Images of patients with extra‐axial lesions at 1.5 T or any CNS lesion at 3.0 T were reviewed by three blinded, independent neuroradiologists for qualitative (lesion border delineation, internal morphology visualization, contrast enhancement; scores from 1 = poor to 4 = excellent) and quantitative (lesion‐to‐brain ratio [LBR], contrast‐to‐noise ratio [CNR]; SI measurements at regions‐of‐interest on lesion and normal parenchyma) enhancement measures. Noninferiority of 0.05 mmol/kg gadobenate was determined for each qualitative endpoint if the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference in precontrast + postcontrast means was above a noninferiority margin of −0.4. Statistical Tests Student's t‐test for comparison of mean qualitative endpoint scores, Wilcoxon signed rank test for comparison of LBR and CNR values; Wilcoxon rank sum test for comparison of SI changes. Tests were significant for P < 0.05. Results The mean change from precontrast to precontrast + postcontrast was significant for all endpoints. Readers 1, 2, and 3 evaluated 304, 225, and 249 lesions for 0.05 mmol/kg gadobenate, and 382, 309, and 298 lesions for 0.1 mmol/kg gadobenate. The lower limit of the 95% CI was above −0.4 for all comparisons. Significantly, higher LBR and CNR was observed with the higher dose. Data Conclusion 0.05 mmol/kg gadobenate was noninferior to 0.1 mmol/kg gadobenate for lesion visualization. Evidence Level 2 Technical Efficacy Stage 3