Toxicity of X-ray contrast media in cell cultures

Monolayer cell culture techniques for neuronal and glial cells and fibroblasts were used for the investigation of the direct toxicity of x-ray contrast media. The effect of various concentrations of sodium diatrizoate, methylglucamine salts of diatrizoate, iothalamate, iodamide, metrizamide, iocarmate, ioserate, and ioglycamate were studied. The intravenous biliary contrast medium--ioglycamate--was most toxic to all cell types. All the contrast media studied were somewhat toxic to neurons in the concentration of 50 mmol/l and showed variable glial toxicity. In equiosmolar concentrations the contrast media studied showed toxicity on neurons in the following order: iothalamate, diatrizoate, iodamide, ioserate, iocarmate, ioglycamate. Fresh metrizamide solution in equimolar concentrations showed the least toxic effects on neurons but interfered considerably with the growth and survival of glial cells. Metrizamide solution proved to be highly toxic to neurons when refrigerated for two weeks. Methylgucamine iocarmate produced a peculiar swelling of fibroblasts.