Investigation of Effects of Gadolinium‐Based Contrast Agents on Uterine Contractility Using Isolated Rat Myometrium

Background Despite concerns about safety, gadolinium‐based contrast agents (GBCAs) are still used for abdominal and pelvic imaging during pregnancy. Researchers have mainly focused on teratogenicity, while very little is known about their possible direct effects on uterine contractility, yet free gadolinium potentially impacts contractility through interaction with calcium channels. Purpose To investigate possible effects of selected GBCAs (namely gadoteridol, gadoversetamide, gadobutrol, gadoterate meglumine, and gadoxetic acid) on the contractility of rat myometrium. Study Type In vitro organ bath study. Animal Model Myometria were isolated from adult (10–12 weeks old) Sprague Dawley rats, both pregnant (N = 8) and nonpregnant (N = 36). Field Strength/Sequence NA. Assessment Myometrial strips were suspended in tissue bath containing physiological saline and isometric contractions were recorded. GBCAs were added to the tissue bath cumulatively, and their effects on contractility parameters (quantified by amplitude, frequency, and area under contractility curve [AUC]) were evaluated by 10‐minute intervals. Statistical Tests Normality data, checked by Shapiro–Wilk test, were transformed by arcsine when needed. One‐ or two‐way analysis of variance was performed, where appropriate, followed by Student–Newman–Keuls test. A P value of