Efficacy of the iodine-free computed tomography liver contrast agent, Dy-EOB-DTPA, in comparison with a conventional iodinated agent in normal and in tumor-bearing rabbits.

Abstract

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the efficacy of the new liver-specific x-ray contrast agent, Dy-EOB-DTPA, in rabbits with VX2 liver tumors by spiral computed tomography (CT) in comparison to iopromide.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The time course of liver enhancement was determined in five groups of two normal anesthetized rabbits, which received intravenous injections of Dy-EOB-DTPA before anesthesia at a dose of 0.5 mmol/kg. Fifteen, 30, 45, 60, and 90 minutes after administration spiral CT images were obtained and the attenuation in the livers were determined. A second group of ten rabbits with implanted VX2 tumors received in a random crossover design either Dy-EOB-DTPA at a dose of 0.5 mmol/kg or, 1 day later, iopromide at a dose of 600 mg iodine/kg. CT images were obtained 60 minutes after Dy-EOB-DTPA administration and both in the arterial and portal-venous phases after iopromide injection. Three radiologists evaluated the images. The rabbits were killed, and their livers were investigated histologically for liver tumors.

RESULTS:

In normal animals, 0.5 mmol/kg Dy-EOB-DTPA resulted in a liver enhancement of 30 HU during the whole observation period of 90 minutes. In tumor-bearing animals, histology revealed 14 implanted tumors of 3-20 mm diameter. Sixty-five percent of the tumors were below 10 mm. Dy-EOB-DTPA was able to detect 13 tumors (93%), iopromide 11 (79%) both in the arterial and in the portal-venous phase. The difference was statistically not significant. In plain CT, seven tumors (50%) were found (P < 0.01 vs iopromide and Dy-EOB-DTPA). One scar and two sites of necrosis were detected by each of the methods.

CONCLUSION:

Dy-EOB-DTPA injection at a dose of 0.5 mmol/kg resulted in a long-lasting detectability of 93% of all implanted tumors versus 79% found with iopromide.

• Authors: Werner Krause, Kerstin Handreke, G Schuhmann-Giampieri, K Rupp
• Journal: Investigative radiology (Invest Radiol) Vol. 37 Issue 5 Pg. 241-7 (May 2002) ISSN: 0020-9996 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11979149 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Contrast Media
• dysprosium ethoxybenzyl DTPA
• Iohexol
• iopromide
• Pentetic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Contrast Media (administration & dosage, pharmacokinetics)
• Injections, Intravenous
• Iohexol (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives)
• Liver (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Liver Neoplasms, Experimental (diagnostic imaging, metabolism, pathology)
• Molecular Structure
• Pentetic Acid (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives, chemistry, pharmacokinetics)
• Rabbits
• Time Factors
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed