gadoterate meglumine at a glance
Medicine class
Macrocyclic paramagnetic MRI contrast agent.
How it is given
Injected into a vein by a trained healthcare professional during an MRI examination.
Important checks
Tell the imaging team about kidney disease, pregnancy, asthma or any previous contrast reaction.
After the scan
Most people can eat and drink normally unless the imaging team gives different instructions.
What is gadoterate meglumine used for?
Licensed diagnostic uses include contrast enhancement when essential information cannot be obtained from an unenhanced MRI.
MRI of lesions affecting the brain, spine and surrounding tissues in adults and children.
Whole-body MRI in adults and children, although this use is not recommended below 6 months of age.
MR angiography of non-coronary arteries in adults to show lesions or narrowing.
How does gadoterate meglumine work?
Gadoterate contains gadolinium tightly held within a macrocyclic chelate. Its paramagnetic effect alters the relaxation of nearby water protons, making selected structures more distinct on mainly T1-weighted MRI images. It remains largely in extracellular fluid and is eliminated unchanged by the kidneys.
gadoterate meglumine preparations and strengths
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 0.5 mmol/mL
How to take gadoterate meglumine
This is not self-administered. A trained professional injects the clear solution through a cannula into a vein during the MRI examination.
Follow the imaging department’s preparation instructions.
The selected product information advises avoiding food for two hours before the examination because nausea and vomiting can occur.
Tell staff immediately about pain, burning or swelling around the cannula.
Afterwards, eating and drinking can usually return to normal unless staff advise otherwise.
gadoterate meglumine side effects
Common or expected effects
- The most frequently observed effects are injection-site reactions, nausea and headache, although these are generally uncommon.
- Other reported effects include vomiting, itching, rash, dizziness, altered taste, feeling hot or cold and abdominal discomfort.
Get urgent medical advice
- Breathing difficulty, wheezing, facial or throat swelling, widespread hives, faintness or collapse may indicate a severe hypersensitivity reaction.
- Seizures or serious heart, blood-pressure or breathing problems require immediate assessment.
- Rarely, leakage outside the vein can cause significant tissue injury; rapidly worsening pain, swelling or skin changes need urgent review.
- Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis has been reported, mainly in people with severe kidney impairment.
gadoterate meglumine in pregnancy
Gadoterate crosses the placenta, and human pregnancy data are limited. It should be used during pregnancy only when contrast-enhanced imaging is clinically necessary. Tell the radiology team if you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
gadoterate meglumine while breastfeeding
Only very small amounts are expected to enter milk, and little would be absorbed by the infant. UK SPS guidance says breastfeeding usually does not need to be interrupted for a full-term, healthy infant. The doctor and mother may decide whether to pause temporarily in individual circumstances.
gadoterate meglumine interactions
No medicine interactions have been established in formal studies, but some cardiovascular medicines may affect the response to a contrast reaction.
Beta-blockers
May increase or aggravate hypersensitivity reactions and make standard beta-agonist treatment less effective. Tell the imaging team if you take them.
ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers and vasoactive medicines
May reduce cardiovascular compensation during blood-pressure changes. Tell the imaging team if you take them.
Common questions about gadoterate meglumine
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is gadoterate meglumine used for in an MRI scan?
It increases contrast between selected tissues and structures, helping radiologists see lesions or blood-vessel abnormalities more clearly when an unenhanced scan is insufficient.
Is gadoterate meglumine a treatment?
No. It improves MRI images and does not treat the condition being investigated.
How is gadoterate meglumine given?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.