Influence of radiographic contrast agents on quantitative coronary angiography.
OBJECTIVE
Quantitative angiographic studies on the vasomotility of epicardial coronary arteries are gaining increasing relevance. We investigated whether radiographic contrast agents might influence coronary vasomotor tone and thereby the results of such studies.


METHODS
Coronary angiograms were taken in 12 patients with coronary artery disease at intervals of 5, 3, 2, and 1 min with the low-osmolar, nonionic contrast agent iopamidol 300, and were repeated at identical intervals with the high-osmolar, ionic agent diatrizoate 76%.


RESULTS
Quantitative cine film analysis demonstrated no significant diameter changes in angiographically normal and stenotic coronary arteries with iopamidol. With diatrizoate, however, normal segments were dilated 2% +/- 2% (p < 0.01) after 2 min and 10% +/- 3% after the 1 min interval (p < 0.001). Stenoses showed no uniform responses to diatrizoate.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-osmolar, nonionic contrast agents should be preferred for quantitative angiographic studies on epicardial coronary vasomotility. When using ionic contrast agents, injection intervals of at least 3 min are required.
Jost
S
S
Division of Cardiology, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
Hausmann
D
D
Lippolt
P
P
Gerhardt
U
U
Lichtlen
P R
PR
D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003973:Diatrizoate; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*
D003973:Diatrizoate; D007479:Iopamidol