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Review
. 2022 Feb;96(2):403-429.
doi: 10.1007/s00204-021-03189-8. Epub 2022 Jan 8.

Gadolinium: pharmacokinetics and toxicity in humans and laboratory animals following contrast agent administration

Julie Davies  1 , Petra Siebenhandl-Wolff  2 , Francois Tranquart  2 , Paul Jones  2 , Paul Evans  2
Affiliations
Review

Gadolinium: pharmacokinetics and toxicity in humans and laboratory animals following contrast agent administration

Julie Davies et al. Arch Toxicol. 2022 Feb.

Erratum in

Abstract

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have transformed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by facilitating the use of contrast-enhanced MRI to allow vital clinical diagnosis in a plethora of disease that would otherwise remain undetected. Although over 500 million doses have been administered worldwide, scientific research has documented the retention of gadolinium in tissues, long after exposure, and the discovery of a GBCA-associated disease termed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, found in patients with impaired renal function. An understanding of the pharmacokinetics in humans and animals alike are pivotal to the understanding of the distribution and excretion of gadolinium and GBCAs, and ultimately their potential retention. This has been well studied in humans and more so in animals, and recently there has been a particular focus on potential toxicities associated with multiple GBCA administration. The purpose of this review is to highlight what is currently known in the literature regarding the pharmacokinetics of gadolinium in humans and animals, and any toxicity associated with GBCA use.

Keywords: Gadolinium; Gadolinium-based contrast agent; Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis; Toxicity.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors were employees of GE Healthcare at the time of writing and submission.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Chemical structures of commercially available gadolinium-based contrast agents
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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