Gadolinium-associated plaques: a new, distinctive clinical entity.

IMPORTANCE: A new condition, gadolinium-associated plaques (GAP), is reported in 2 patients. It is related to a particular type of gadolinium (gadodiamide) used for contrast-enhanced radiologic studies.

OBSERVATIONS: Erythematous plaques, 0.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter, were pruritic in one case and asymptomatic in a second case. Findings from the histopathologic examination revealed eosinophilic, collagenous, round or ovoid bodies (sclerotic bodies) in various stages of calcification. Previously, these sclerotic bodies were thought to be pathognomonic for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in the setting of chronic renal disease with associated gadolinium exposure. Neither patient had NSF, while only 1 of these patients had renal disease. The patient who did not have renal disease received high doses of gadolinium.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Physicians should be aware that GAP can occur without NSF or renal disease and is associated with the use of radiologic dyes. Sclerotic bodies have been reported only in association with gadolinium exposure (eg, gadodiamide) either in the sclerotic skin in NSF or in GAP.