High dose brain CT with ioxaglate and diatrizoate adverse reactions and effects on urine protein tests

Sodium meglumine ioxaglate (320 or 306 mg I/ml) and meglumine diatrizoate (306 mg I/ml) in an intravenous dose of 2 ml/kg were compared in a randomized double-blind test on the brain CT of 209 patients. Side effects were noted in 56% of the ioxaglate group and 90% of the diatrizoate group. Diatrizoate caused a sensation of heat significantly more often and more intensely, but the frequencies of other side effects did not differ significantly. No severe reactions occurred. The quality of the CT scans was equal. Neither ioxaglate nor diatrizoate impaired renal function. False-positive strip tests and falsely elevated protein values measured by the biuretic method were found in particular in the ioxaglate group. The results of urine protein measurements and strip tests are misleading on the day of the examination with both ioxaglate and diatrizoate.