Table 3.
Physicochemical characteristics of gadolinium-based contrast agents
| Name | Ligand | Structure | Ionicity | Molecular weight | Osmolality | Viscosity 37 °C |
T1 relaxivity in blood, 1.5Ta | T2 relaxivity in blood, 1.5Ta |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Dalton) | (mOsm/kg) | (mPa s) | (l/mmol s) | (l/mmol s) | ||||
| Gadopentetate | DTPA | Linear | Ionic | 939.0 | 1960 | 2.9 | 4.3 | 4.4 |
| Gadodiamide | DTPA-BMA | Linear | Nonionic | 537.6 | 789 | 1.4 | 4.6 | 6.9 |
| Gadobenate | BOPTA | Linear | Ionic | 1058.2 | 1970 | 5.4 | 6.7 | 8.9 |
| Gadoxetate | EOB-DTPA | Linear | Ionic | 682.0 | 688 | 1.2 | 7.3 | 9.1 |
| Gadoteridol | HP-DO3A | Macrocyclic | Nonionic | 558.7 | 630 | 1.3 | 4.4 | 5.5 |
| Gadobutrol | BT-DO3A | Macrocyclic | Nonionic | 604.7 | 1603 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Gadoterate | DOTA | Macrocyclic | Ionic | 558.6 | 1350 | 2.0 | 4.2 | 6.7 |
| Gadopiclenol | NA | Macrocyclic | Nonionic | 970.1 | 843 | 7.6 | 12.8 | 15.1 |
EMA, European Medicines Agency; Log, logarithm; NA, no data available; pH, acidity of a solution; T½, half-life
Sources: van der Molen, Eur J Radiol 2008; Port, Biometals 2008; Rohrer, Invest Radiol 2005; Robic, Invest Radiol 2019; Szomolanyi, Invest Radiol 2019; Personal communication with medical departments of Bayer Healthcare, Bracco Imaging, GE Healthcare, Guerbet