Formation of gadolinium-ferritin from clinical magnetic resonance contrast agents

Gadolinium deposition in the brain following administration of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) has led to health concerns. We show that some clinical GBCAs form Gd 3+ -ferritin nanoparticles at (sub)nanomolar concentrations of Gd 3+ under physiological conditions. We describe their structure at atomic resolution and discuss potential relevance for clinical MRI. We show that clinical gadolinium-based contrast agents can form Gd 3+ -ferritin nanoparticles under physiological conditions. We suggest they can contribute to the T 1 intensity changes in ferritin-rich brain areas observed in patients examined by MRI.