Gadolinium chloride toxicity in the mouse.

1. Groups of five male and five female CD-1 mice received a single intravenous injection of gadolinium chloride at dosages of 0 (saline control), 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mmol/ kg. All mice were necropsied 48 h post dose. 2. Plasma analysis showed increases in concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase (both sexes), aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase (females only) in the 0.2 mmol/kg group. Cholesterol was elevated at all dosages in both sexes whilst globulin was raised in both sexes at 0.1 and 0.2 mmol/kg. 3. Histological lesions were present at all dosages and increased in severity in a dose-related fashion. The most common lesions were: mineral emboli in capillaries, accumulation of mineral in the mononuclear phagocytic system, hepatocellular necrosis, and lymphoid depletion, necrosis and mineralisation in the spleen. 4. Such observations are similar to those in rats given gadolinium chloride and should be assessed when evaluating the toxicological profile of gadolinium containing compounds being developed for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.