OBJECTIVETo compare gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) and gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) for their efficacy as contrast agents in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosis of solitary brain metastases (SBM).

METHODSWe conducted an intra-individual study of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI (T(1)WI) data from 27 Chinese patients with suspected SBM to compare the enhancement findings of two different MRI contrast agents, Gd-BOPTA and Gd-DTPA (at equivalent doses of 0.1 mmol/kg), for the detection of SBM. All the patients underwent two identical MRI examinations on a 3.0-T MRI scanner first with Gd-DTPA and then with Gd-BOPTA. Evaluation of the contrast enhancement was performed qualitatively (border delineation, extent, internal morphology, and contrast enhancement) and quantitatively (lesion-to-brain ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, and percent enhancement) by 3 independent, fully blinded, and highly experienced neuroradiologists.

RESULTSQualitative assessment by readers revealed a significant overall preference (P<0.05) for Gd-BOPTA over Gd-DOTA in terms of lesion border delineation, extent, lesion internal morphology, and contrast enhancement. Quantitative assessment also revealed a significant better performance of Gd-BOPTA in light of lesion-to-brain ratio (P<0.05), contrast-to-noise ratio (P<0.05), and percent enhancement (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAt an equivalent dose, Gd-BOPTA allows better contrast enhancement of SBM than Gd-DTPA in MRI.