Experience with low osmolar contrast media a clinical and experimental study.

Low-osmolar contrast media were used in 546 patients: 371 with ioxaglate, 80 with iopamidol, 95 with iohexol. The image quality was good in all cases. Heat was observed in one patient (iopamidol) and pain was observed in 7 patients (ioxaglate: 4, iopamidol: 1, iohexol: 2). Blood pressure, heart rate as well as the parameters, BUN, SGOT and serum bilirubin showed no significant changes. Our experimental investigations were performed on 101 dog kidneys. Selective renal angiography was performed with 10 ml of contrast media metrizamide, ioxaglate, iopamidol, or iohexol. Comparative preparations were the high-osmolar contrast media iodamide and metrizoate. Untreated kidneys and kidneys given saline constituted baseline controls. Histological examination of tissues 3 and 24 hours after the injections showed moderate reversible changes (metrizamide 15/21, ioxaglate 5/17, iopamidol 2/18, iohexol 2/26). Electronmicroscopy (6 iohexol) showed no significant changes.