title: Intravenous injection of gadobutrol in an epidemiological study group did not lead to a difference in relative signal intensities of certain brain structures after 5 years.
abstract: To investigate if application of macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents in volunteers is associated with neuronal deposition detected by magnetic resonance imaging in a 5-year longitudinal survey.
  
  
  
  Three hundred eighty-seven volunteers who participated in a population-based study were enrolled. Subjects underwent plain T1-weighted brain MRI at baseline and 5 years later with identical sequence parameters. At baseline, 271 participants additionally received intravenous injection of the macrocyclic contrast agent gadobutrol (0.15 mmol/kg). A control group including 116 subjects received no contrast agent. Relative signal intensities of thalamus, pallidum, pons and dentate nucleus were compared at baseline and follow-up.
  
  
  
  No difference in relative signal intensities was observed between contrast group (thalamus, p = 0.865; pallidum, p = 0.263; pons, p = 0.533; dentate nucleus, p = 0.396) and control group (thalamus, p = 0.683; pallidum; p = 0.970; pons, p = 0.773; dentate nucleus, p = 0.232) at both times. Comparison between both groups revealed no significant differences in relative signal intensities (thalamus, p = 0.413; pallidum, p = 0.653; pons, p = 0.460; dentate nucleus, p = 0.751). The study showed no significant change in globus pallidus-to-thalamus or dentate nucleus-to-pons ratios.
  
  
  
  Five years after administration of a 1.5-fold dose gadobutrol to normal subjects, signal intensity of thalamus, pallidum, pons and dentate nucleus did not differ from participants who had not received gadobutrol.
  
  
  
  • Gadobutrol does not lead to neuronal signal alterations after 5 years. • Neuronal deposition of macrocyclic contrast agent could not be confirmed. • Macrocyclic contrast agents in a proven dosage are safe.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, D-17475, Greifswald, Germany. marie-luise.kromrey@uni-greifswald.de.
authors.forename: Marie-Luise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kromrey
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, D-17475, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Kim Rouven
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Liedtke
authors.affiliation: Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ittermann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, D-17475, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Sönke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, D-17475, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biopharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weitschies
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, D-17475, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens-Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kühn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002529:Cerebellar Nuclei / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011149:Pons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013788:Thalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C090600:gadobutrol
keywords: Brain; Contrast media; Gadobutrol; Gadolinium; Magnetic resonance imaging