A quantitative in vivo comparison of six contrast agents by digital subtraction angiography

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) technology can now visualize many significant arterial structures from intravenous injections of contrast media. Image quality of these DSA studies is related to contrast agent enhancement. This study compares contrast agents of differing iodine concentration, viscosity, and osmolarity. A technique is described that utilizes a scanned projection digital radiographic system to compare quantitatively degrees of intra-arterial opacification after the administration of six intravenous contrast agents: iothalamate (at four different concentrations and in combinations with two different cations), diatrizoate, and ioxaglate. The quantitative arterial enhancement was compared in dogs utilizing an extra-period latin-square multiple change-over clinical trial design. The contrast agents span a range of organically bound iodine from 282 mg I/ml. When rate and volume of contrast agent injected are held constant, intra-arterial opacification is directly a function of the iodine concentration (mg I/ml) of the agent injected, while osmolarity and viscosity have no effect on opacification. These studies support the use of agents with high iodine concentration for maximum vascular visualization.