Contrast Enhanced 3D MR Angiography: Gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) vs Gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA)

A randomized double-blind crossover comparison of 0.2 mmolikg Gd-DTPA and 0.1 mmolikg Gd-BOPTA was performed in 25 patients for MRA of the aorta and sopra aortic trunk, and the renal, mesenteric, lumbar, iliac and femoral arteries. Blinded qualitative evaluation by two radiologists revealed no differences in terms of lesion size, signal intensity or degree of stenosis. The results indicate that 0.1 mmolkg Gd-BOPTA is equivalent to 0.2 mmolikg Gd-DTPA for MRA of these vascular regions. The results may be explained by the higher RI relaxivity of Gd-BOPTA (9.7 mM-ls-l vs. 4.8 rnM-'s-') deriving from weak, transient interaction with serum albumin.