Age-related changes in the distribution of intravenously administered gadolinium-based contrast agents leaked into the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with suspected endolymphatic hydrops.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the relationship between age and leakage of intravenously administered gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by volumetric segmentation of the whole-cranium CSF.

Materials And Methods: In 30 patients clinically diagnosed with suspected endolymphatic hydrops, the three-dimensional real inversion recovery (3D-real IR) images were obtained at pre- and 4 h post-intravenous administration of a single dose of GBCA. The volume of interest was set on the whole-cranium CSF in the 3D-real IR image. The signal intensity (SI)-increase of the ventricular CSF and the extra-ventricular CSF at 4 h post-administration of GBCA compared to pre-administration was measured. The relationship between the age of the patient and the SI-increase was evaluated.

Results: A correlation between age and the SI-increase was observed in the whole-cranium CSF. The correlation coefficient between age and the SI-increase in the ventricular CSF was higher than that in the extra-ventricular CSF.

Conclusion: An age-related leakage of the intravenously administered GBCAs was found in the whole-brain CSF. The age-related change in the distribution of the GBCA leakage was more prominent in the ventricular CSF than in the extra-ventricular CSF.