title: Effect of varying the molecular weight of the MR contrast agent Gd-DTPA-polylysine on blood pharmacokinetics and enhancement patterns.
abstract: The effects of varying the molecular weight of gadolinium-DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid)-polylysine, a macromolecular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast agent, on blood pharmacokinetics and dynamic tissue MR imaging signal enhancement characteristics were studied in normal rats. Blood elimination half-life, total blood clearance, volume of the central compartment (Vcc) and the steady-state distribution volume (Vssd) were calculated for four Gd-DTPA-polylysine polymers with average molecular weights of 36, 43.9, 139, and 480 kd and compared with corresponding values for Gd-DTPA (0.57 kd) and Gd-DTPA-albumin (92 kd). Blood elimination half-life increased seven-fold with an increase in molecular weight from 36 to 480 kd. The Vcc values for all polylysine polymers did not differ significantly from the Vcc value for Gd-DTPA-albumin but were significantly smaller than the Vcc value for Gd-DTPA. The Vssd value for Gd-DTPA did not differ significantly from the Vssd value for the 36- and 43.9-kd polymers but was significantly larger than the Vssd values for the 139- and 480-kd polymers and for Gd-DTPA-albumin. On T1-weighted coronal spin-echo MR images, dynamic signal enhancement profiles in liver and kidney for the 36-, 43.9-, and 480-kd Gd-DTPA-polylysine chelates corresponded to the blood pharmacokinetic data. Increasing molecular weight of Gd-DTPA-polylysine formulations substantially slows blood clearance and produces a prolonged, almost constant tissue signal enhancement for the 60-minute observation period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0628.
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Vexler
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Clément
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmitt-Willich
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brasch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006207:Half-Life; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011107:Polylysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C068674:polylysine-(Gd-DTPA); D011107:Polylysine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA