The effect of angiography on the electrophysiological state of the spinal cord. A study in control and traumatized cats

The tonic vibration reflex (TVR) and evoked cerebral potential (ECP) were used to evaluate the effects of aortic injections of Renografin- 76, saline, and a mixture of sodium and sucrose on the spinal cord in 7 control cats and 12 which were recovering from trauma. Results showed that Renografin-76 produced different toxic effects in control and traumatized spinal cords as measured by the TVR. The disappearance of either ECP or TVR following the Renografin injection in 4 cases exemplifies the enhanced risk of injecting angiographic materials into traumatized spinal cords during recovery. The TVR shows promise as an electrophsiological criterion of minimal toxic effects of angiographic contrast agents on the spinal cord.