Trends in contrast media research the last 100 years

This review focuses on the trends in contrast media (CM) research published in Acta Radiologica during the last 100 years, since the first edition in 1921. The main topics covered are the developments of iodine- and gadolinium-based CM. Other topics include manganese-based CM for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and barium for the investigation of the alimentary tract. From a historic point of view, special CM for use in cholegraphy and myelography are addressed in the review. Today, these imaging procedures are obsolete due to the development of computed tomography, MRI, and ultrasound. The historical use of radioactive thorium-based CM for angiography is also addressed. Furthermore, publications on adverse reactions to CM are reviewed.

Nephropathy Induced by Intramuscularly Administered Glycerol and Contrast Media in Rats

Urine profiles (albumin, glucose, NAG, LDH, GGT, sodium, and phosphate) were followed for 14 days after intravenous injection of either diatrizoate, iohexol, ioxilan, or saline in 24 Wistar rats with a glomerular and tubular dysfunction induced by intramuscularly (i.m.) administered glycerol. Another 6 rats exposed to neither glycerol nor contrast media served as controls. The effect of ioxilan and saline on the albumin excretion was similar, whereas diatrizoate and iohexol increased it significantly. The contrast media had no further inhibitory effect on the reabsorption of glucose. Iohexol caused significantly increased excretion of all three enzymes, ioxilan of NAG and LDH, whereas diatrizoate only increased the excretion of LDH. The sodium excretion was further increased by ioxilan and diatrizoate, whereas none of the contrast media affected the phosphaturia. Both ioxilan and iohexol caused a round cell response around the tubules shown by light microscopy whereas diatrizoate caused no further changes. It is concluded that diatrizoate and iohexol increase glomerular dysfunction induced by glycerol i.m.; all three contrast media cause some further increase in the tubular dysfunction. Neither diatrizoate, iohexol nor ioxilan prolong nephropathy induced by glycerol i.m. determined by the chemical analyses. The histologic finding indicates a direct toxic effect of non-ionic low osmolar contrast media in this animal model of nephropathy.

Nephrotoxicity of Cyclosporin a and Contrast Media

Urine profiles (albumin, glucose, NAG, LDH, GGT and sodium) were followed for 22 h or 8 days after intravenous injection of diatrizoate, iohexol or saline in 30 adult Wistar rats in which nephrotoxicity was induced by daily peroral administration of 25 mg/kg body weight cyclosporin A over a 14-day period. Another 10 rats which had the vehicle of the cyclosporin A solution (placebo) and saline injected intravenously served as controls. The effect of iohexol and saline on the albumin excretion was similar, whereas diatrizoate increased it significantly. Both contrast media caused significantly increased excretion of all three enzymes. The contrast media had no effect on the excretion of glucose and sodium. Except for the fact that the excretion of NAG was significantly higher following iohexol than following diatrizoate 24 to 46 h after injection no significant differences between the two media were found from 24 h after injection among the rats given cyclosporin A. No contrast medium related changes were found by light microscopy of the kidneys. Neither iohexol nor diatrizoate potentiate acute cyclosporin A nephrotoxcity.