Arachnoiditis following myelography with metrizamide in monkeys. Effect of blood in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Monkeys were injected intrathecally with blood, metrizamide (Amipaque) or a mixture of blood and metrizamide. Twelve weeks later the animals were examined for evidence of arachnoiditis. Either blood or metrizamide alone in sufficient amounts resulted in arachnoiditis. The addition of blood to metrizamide did not alter the severity or risk of arachnoiditis from experimental myelography with metrizamide.