Renal Safety Evaluation After Dotarem®-Enhanced MRI

Patients with renal insufficiency not requiring hemodialysis and scheduled to undergo a contrast enhanced MRI or unenhanced MRI examination to specify a diagnosis, were selected for inclusion. Two groups of patients were defined on the basis of the planned imaging procedure selected to obtain a diagnosis: those undergoing a Dotarem®-enhanced MRI and those undergoing an unenhanced MRI. A clinically significant increase in serum creatinine levels after the contrast-enhanced MRI exam was used as an indication of contrast induced nephrotoxicity. A blood test was performed 24h before the MRI in order to evaluate baseline creatinine values. 72h after the exam, a second blood test was performed. An increase in creatinemia above 25% from baseline levels was defined as a contrast-induced nephrotoxic reaction. The primary endpoint of the study assessed the percentage of patients presenting a contrast-induced nephrotoxic reaction in order to show a non inferiority of enhanced as compared to non-enhanced MRI exams.