A randomized comparison of iodixanol and iohexol in adult intracranial computed tomography scanning.
OBJECTIVE
Nonionic iodinated contrast media have proved effective for computed tomography (CT) of the head and have demonstrated greater tolerability than their ionic counterparts. Iodixanol is a new nonionic agent with the added attribute of being isosmolar to blood and having less than half the osmolality of iohexol. Phase I safety, tolerance, and pharmacokinetic studies have indicated that iodixanol may be associated with fewer adverse effects than iohexol while providing equivalent diagnostic information.


METHODS
We compared the safety and efficacy of iodixanol at 270 mg I/ ml (IOD-270) and at 320 mg I/ml (IOD-320) with iohexol 300 mg I/ml (IOH-300).


RESULTS
No statistically significant differences in the quality of images or in the occurrence of adverse events were found among the three treatment groups. Pairwise comparisons of injection-associated discomfort revealed that significantly more patients in the IOH-300 group experienced discomfort than in either the IOD-270 or IOD-320 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Iodixanol at 270 or 320 mg I/ml was found to be safe and effective when administered intravenously at a volume of 100 ml for intracranial CT scans in adult patients.
Grossman
R I
RI
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Modic
M T
MT
D003287:Contrast Media / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007472:Iohexol / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects
D003287:Contrast Media; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; D007472:Iohexol; C044834:iodixanol