Effects of selective injection of contrast media on coronary artery diameter

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of Renografin-76 on epicardial coronary artery diameters, during selective coronary angiography. Using 105 mm-photospot angiograms taken at 0, 1, and 5 min, 99 coronary segments from ten patients were measured. Comparing the angiograms at 1 and 5 min to the control angiograms, a 7 +/- 7% and 6 +/- 7% (both p = NS) change in diameter respectively was noted. Comparing the 1 and 5 min angiograms, there was no significant change (-1 +/- 7%). Measurements were found to be very reproducible. This study shows that there is a trend toward dilation of the coronary arteries during selective coronary angiography, but this did not reach statistical significance and probably is not clinically important.