Evaluating the effect of sorafenib on Gd-EOB-DTPA-mediated contrast enhancement: An experimental study using DCE-MRI

Purpose Despite the potential impact of sorafenib on gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-mediated contrast enhancements, attempts to assess these effects are rare. This study aimed to investigate the interaction between Sorafenib and Gd-EOB-DTPA by quantifying the T1 and T2 relaxation times and the relative enhancement rates (RERs) of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in the liver. Procedures: The effects on contrast enhancement were assessed using MRI with Chang liver cells and SD rats. MR phantom images were obtained after treating cells with varying dosages of Gd-EOB-DTPA (5, 10 mM) and sorafenib (10, 30 µM) to evaluate MR relaxivities. For the animal study, DCE-MRI was performed following intravenous administration of 25 µmol/kg Gd-EOB-DTPA and two different doses of sorafenib (10, 30 mg/kg). RER was analyzed to evaluate sorafenib's effects on Gd-EOB-DTPA uptake in the liver. Results Phantom experiments demonstrated alterations in T1 and T2 values, with a tendency towards shortening disrupted by the addition of Sorafenib to Gd-EOB-DTPA-treated Chang liver cells. The RERs of DCE-MRI in the liver exhibited a dose-dependent decrease following sorafenib administration, with recovery observed after 4 h. Conclusions Our results provide quantitative information on sorafenib-mediated interference with Gd-EOB-DTPA-induced contrast enhancement and offer experimental evidence suggesting the possibility of drug-drug interactions between sorafenib and Gd-EOB-DTPA. Although further research is needed to fully elucidate the impact of these interactions, caution is warranted when using these two agents concurrently for liver MRI.