Hemorrheologic effects of iotrolan after intra-arterial injection in rabbits: comparison with other types of contrast media.

Aqueous solutions of the x-ray contrast media (CM) iotrolan and meglumine diatrizoate with and without gelatin added were injected into the rabbit aorta just above the bifuraction in a dose of 0.3 g I/kg and the duration of opacification of the vessel was measured. The difference between the periods recorded for iotrolan and the viscous diatrizoate solution (4 to 6 seconds) and those for the pure diatrizoate solution (3 to 4 seconds) was statistically significant (p less than or equal to 0.05). The differences are directly correlated to the viscosity of the CM solutions. At first the intra-aortal injection of iotrolan causes a somewhat more marked decline in femoral artery blood flow than diatrizoate. The increase in blood flow, which begins 10 seconds after injection is, however, significantly (p less than or equal to 0.05) less after iotrolan than after diatrizoate. This is attributable to the differences in the osmolalities of the two CM. Due to the fact that it is isotonic to blood and because of its viscosity, iotrolan has certain advantages over conventional agents for arteriography that are relevant to clinical practice.