In vitro uptake of 153Gadolinium and Gadolinium complexes by hyaline articular cartilage

Abstract This in vitro study evaluated whether Gadolinium (Gd) penetrates into hyaline cartilage and would be incorporated into vital chondrocytes. Hyaline joint cartilage of rabbits was exposed to radioactive 153 GdCl 3 and to a radioactive 153 Gd-DTPA-BSA-complex (DTPA, diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid; BSA, bovine serum albumine). In addition an exchange experiment with radioactive 153 GdCl 3 versus Gd-DTPA-di- N -methylglucamine (Magnevist ® ) was performed. Incorporation of 153 GdCl 3 into neuroblastoma cells, connective tissue cells and chondrocytes was tested. The results showed that the depth and extent of incorporation of Gd depends on the molecular mass and time of exposure. 153 Gd-DTPA-BSA complexes exhibited an incorporation rate of maximal 11% ± 2.8% up to the middle third of the cartilage within 24 h with almost no incorporation (2 ± 1.9%) for the deep layer. The exchange experiment revealed no uptake of Gd for the deep layer. The maximal incorporation rate of 153 GdCl 3 into vital chondrocytes was 6.3%. These data indicate that under the condition of MR-arthrography, Gd-DTPA-di- N -methylglucamine will not be absorbed into the deep layers of hyaline cartilage and will not be incorporated into vital chondrocytes.