Physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution of gadoteridol injection in rats and dogs

The physicochemical properties of gadoteridol, a macrocyclic nonionic gadolinium complex, were studied together with its pharmacokinetics and biodistribution in rats and dogs. Studies in rats were conducted after single intravenous injections at 0.1 or 0.35 mmol/kg using 153Gd-labeled gadoteridol or with seven daily doses of 0.1 mmol/kg to examine the levels of residual gadolinium in organs. Nonradioactive biodistribution and excretion studies were performed in dogs following injection at 0.1 mmol/kg. After injection, the dose was rapidly cleared from rat blood and excreted such that more than 90% of the dose appeared in the urine within 4 hr of injection. At 7 and 14 days postinjection, only extremely low levels of gadolinium were observed in liver and bone; these levels were two to eight times lower than the levels reported after the injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine. The extracellular distribution and rapid urinary excretion of gadoteridol is in agreement with data obtained with other gadolinium-containing chelates used as intravascular magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. Differences observed in the long-term retention of gadolinium between gadoteridol and gadopentetate dimeglumine were consistent with the reported greater in vivo resistance to transmetallation of gadolinium macrocycles compared with the linear gadolinium chelate molecules.