GADOVERSETAMIDE (200 MG)

The contrast agent gadoversetamide was launched in the US as a solution for i.v. injection to be used prior to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with anomalous blood-brain barrier or anomalous vascularity in the central nervous system or in the liver. This chelate obtained by complexation of paramagnetic gadolinium(III) ion and DTPA-bis- (methoxyethylamide) ligand enhances visualization of lesions including tumors in the brain, spine and liver due to the effect of Gd(III)-water interaction on the proton magnetic relaxation of water. The small molecular size gadoversetamide belongs to the class of extracellular contrast agents. A phase III, multicenter, double-blind, parallel group trial showed that gadoversetamide was well tolerated and as efficient as gadopentetate dimeglumine (Schering) in hepatic magnetic resonance imaging of patients with suspected liver pathology.