Phase III clinical evaluation of gadoteridol injection: experience in pediatric neuro-oncologic MR imaging

Twenty-two pediatric patients with known CNS neoplasms underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging before and after intravenous injection of 0.1 mmol/kg gadoteridol injection as part of a Phase IIIB open label multicenter clinical trial. Intravenous administration of this neutral, nonionic contrast agent was found to be safe in children. No clinically relevant changes in vital signs or laboratory values (including complete blood count, blood chemistry, serum electrolytes, thyroid and metabolic panel and clotting function) were attributed to the administration of gadoteridol injection. There were no systemic complaints. The imaging characteristics of gadoteridol in pediatric CNS disease appeared similar to those of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Contrast enhancement was present in 17 of 22 patients (77%). The administration of gadoteridol injection provided additional clinically relevant information including improved visualization and delineation of the primary lesion, detection of additional lesions, determination of tumor recurrence and narrowing the list of differential considerations in all 17 enhancing studies as well as in 2 of 5 studies without signal intensity enhancement. The very low toxicity, inherent to this nonionic low osmolal paramagnetic contrast formulation may allow administration of increased doses at increased infusion rates for an increased number of indications with improved sensitivity.