Gadobenate Dimeglumine (gad-oh-BEN-ate dye-MEG-loo-meen)

Used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Helps your doctor to see images of body parts in your brain, spine, and other parts of your body.

Brand Name(s):

Multihance

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used:

How to Use This Medicine:

Injectable

• A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine.
• This medicine is given through a needle placed in to one of your veins just before you have a MRI test.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are using medicines such as anthracyclines (doxorubicin or daunorubicin), cisplatin, etoposide, methotrexate, tamoxifen, Taxol® (paclitaxel), or vinca alkaloids (vincristine).

Warnings While Using This Medicine:

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breast feeding, or if you have anemia or any other blood disorder.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you have severe kidney problems or liver disease. Also tell your doctor if you have just had a liver transplant or if you are going to have a transplant. The use of a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) during an MRI should be avoided in patients with severe kidney problems, patients with severe kidney problems due to a severe liver disorder (hepato-renal syndrome), or patients with severe kidney problems before, during, or after a liver transplant. The risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), a very serious disease affecting the skin, muscle, and internal organs, may be increased. Your doctor may do some tests before your MRI to make sure your kidneys are working properly. Even if you have kidney problems or liver disease, your doctor may decide that it is still important to use the contrast dye. If you are on hemodialysis and treated with this contrast dye, your doctor may perform hemodialysis immediately after you receive the contrast agent.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you have any allergic respiratory diseases, asthma, heart disease, or seizures, or if you have disorders like Dubin Johnson syndrome, von Willebrand's disease, or Wilson's disease.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine:

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing.
• Cold feeling, convulsion, tremors, or increased salivation.
• Change in how much or how often you urinate, or blood in your urine.
• Dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• Fast or slow heartbeat.
• Lightheadedness or fainting.
• Muscle stiffness or weakness, stiff joints or trouble moving, deep bone pain.
• Numbness, tingling, or burning pain in your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
• Pale lips or tongue.
• Ringing in ears or blurred vision.
• Severe headache or body pains.
• Severe rash or redness on your skin.
• Skin rash, swelling, hardness, tightness, burning, itching, or red or dark patches.
• Trouble breathing, cough or dizziness.

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Bad taste in your mouth.
• Constipation.
• Increased cough, difficulty in swallowing.
• Increased sweating.
• Mild skin rash or itching.
• Mild abdominal pain.
• Pain, itching, burning, swelling, or a lump under your skin where the needle is placed.
• Weakness and muscle pain.