Gadoteridol

Prohance (Bracco)
279.3 mg/mL in 5, 10, 15 and 20 mL vials and 5, 10, 15 and 17 mL syringes
Approved indication: magnetic resonance imaging

Gadoteridol adds to the choice of contrast agents for use in magnetic resonance imaging. It is a non-ionic complex of gadolinium with a low molecular weight. Gadoteridol does not cross the blood-brain barrier, but if the barrier is damaged gadoteridol will penetrate into lesions such as tumours. It also highlights areas of increased vascularity so it has been used to improve the delimitation of lesions elsewhere in the body.

Apart from its paramagnetic effects, gaditeridol has no pharmacological activity in the body. After intravenous injection, most of the dose is excreted unchanged in the urine within 24 hours. There is little information about the effect of renal impairment on the clearance of gadoteridol. Severe renal impairment is a contraindication.

Adverse reactions are uncommon, but prescribers need to be equipped to deal with anaphylactoid reactions. The more frequent adverse effects of gadoteridol include nausea, altered taste, headache and pain at the injection site.

Gadoteridol has been available in Europe and the USA for several years. It does not appear to have any significant advantages over similar products.

Some of the views expressed in the following notes on newly approved products should be regarded as preliminary, as there may have been limited published data at the time of publication, and little experience in Australia of their safety or efficacy. However, the Editorial Executive Committee believes that comments made in good faith at an early stage may still be of value. Before new drugs are prescribed, the Committee believes it is important that more detailed information is obtained from the manufacturer's approved product information, a drug information centre or some other appropriate source.