Allergic-like Reactions to the MR Imaging Contrast Agent Gadobutrol: A Prospective Study of 32 991 Consecutive...

Purpose To determine the frequency and severity of allergic-like reactions to gadobutrol. Materials and Methods Data collection during the study period was part of a hospital quality assurance initiative to confirm the safety of gadobutrol after its introduction at this institute from 2010 to 2013. The study also included an electronic health records review approved by the institutional review board of the University Health Network, Toronto. The institutional review board waived the requirement for informed consent. At the time of each reaction to contrast material, the patient's age and sex, whether premedication was given, the contrast agent used, the volume injected, the patient's symptoms, and the treatment administered were recorded. Allergic-like reactions from physiologic reactions were differentiated and the frequency and severity of allergic-like reactions, the prevalence of risk factors for reactions, the frequency of reactions despite the use of premedication (a "breakthrough reaction"), and the frequency of delayed reactions were calculated. A χ(2) test to determine whether there was a difference in reaction rates during the 4 years of the study was performed. Results The frequency of allergic-like reactions to gadobutrol was 0.32% (96 reactions among 30 373 gadobutrol-enhanced magnetic resonance [MR] imaging examinations) during the study period. These 96 reactions occurred in 82 patients. There was only one severe reaction. There were identifiable risk factors in 40 of the 82 patients (48.8%). Of the 82 patients with an allergic-like reaction, 28 (34.1%) received a gadolinium-based contrast agent before and had no reaction. A total of 12 of 33 (36.4%) breakthrough reactions occurred, and there were 15 of 96 (15.6%) reactions with a delayed onset. Conclusion The frequency of allergic-like reactions to gadobutrol is very low, accounting for 96 reactions among 30 373 gadobutrol-enhanced MR imaging examinations (0.32%), and severe reactions are rare. In patients who experience a reaction, breakthrough reactions and delayed reactions are relatively common. (©) RSNA, 2016.