Cytogenic effects of diatrizoate and ioxaglate on patients undergoing excretory urography

Possible cytogenic alterations due to radiologic contrast medium in patients undergoing a common radiologic examination is studied. Two groups of 20 patients each were used. Group I consisted of patients undergoing excretory urography, using sodium and meglumine diatrizoate as contrast. A different agent, sodium and meglumine ioxaglate, was used with group II. Three blood samples were taken from each patient before urography, immediately after urography, and 1 week later. The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations (CA) were found to increase significantly in the B samples from both groups, that of group I being higher (P less than .01 compared with P less than .05). Furthermore, these alterations were found to persist in the C samples from group I. No modification of the Proliferating Rate Index (PRI) was found. The osmolarity or other components of the contrast media studied could be involved in the process. The results indicate that ioxaglate produces less cytogenic damage than diatrizoate.