Epinephrine enhanced positive contrast shoulder arthrography in the dog

Positive contrast shoulder arthrograms were obtained with and without the intra-articular injection of 0.2 mg of epinephrine in 6 experimental dogs and were compared after completion of the study. Radiographs were made 1, 3, 5, 9, 13, 17, 25 and 30 minutes after injection of the contrast medium. Admixture of epinephrine to the contrast medium resulted in an improvement in the sharpness of the contrast outlined joint structures as well as in the persistence of this enhanced detail on delayed radiographs. Detailed ECG recordings in 2 dogs during this procedure showed no abnormalities.