Post-marketing surveillance of gadobutrol for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in Japan

PurposeTo evaluate the safety of gadobutrol for magnetic resonance imaging in a prospective, non-interventional, post-marketing surveillance in Japan.Materials and methodsGadobutrol was administered in accordance with Japanese prescribing information over a 2-year enrollment period, using a standardized questionnaire to collect information. The primary outcome was the incidence of adverse reactions (ARs) following gadobutrol injection.ResultsQuestionnaire data were analyzed for 3337 patients (age, 58.117.4years [mean +/- SD]). Gadobutrol was administered at a dose of 0.10 +/- 0.02mL/kg body weight. Thirty-three patients were observed to have 42 ARs suspected to be due to gadobutrol, an incidence proportion of 0.99%; 29 ARs were acute (<1h post-injection)including one case of severe acute AR (0.03%). Patient subpopulations (with hepatic, renal, cardiovascular diseases) did not differ markedly in AR proportions categorized by age, sex, presence of comorbidity, or imaging indication. No cases of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis were reported. Investigators rated images as improved or profoundly improved following gadobutrol injection in 91.1% of examinations.Conclusion Gadobutrol was well tolerated with a good safety profile in this post-marketing surveillance of a large patient population in Japan.