title: The cerebral effects of carbon dioxide during digital subtraction angiography in the aortic arch and its branches in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the neurotoxicity of carbon dioxide as a contrast agent in the central nervous system by performing CO2 digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the aortic arch and its branches in experimental animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five rabbits underwent intraarterial CO2 DSA while under general anesthesia, during which 50 angiograms were obtained after administration of 3 mL/kg CO2. MR imaging was performed before and after the angiographic procedure. The animals were killed 12 hours later and their brains examined macroscopically and microscopically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three animals died of a cause irrelevant to CO2. No animal had clinical symptoms of hemiplegia or stroke. Neither MR imaging nor macroscopic and microscopic examination of the brain revealed any ischemic infarct hemorrhage, thrombosis, or foci of necrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The absence of neurologic symptoms, the lack of pathologic findings at MR imaging, and the negative pathologic findings in the brain encourage further research on CO2 neurotoxicity of the central nervous system and support its application in the imaging of intracranial vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Aretaieion Hospital, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Dimakakos
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stefanopoulos
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Doufas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papasava
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gouliamos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mourikis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deligiorgi
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001027:Aortography; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000633:toxicity*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D002245:Carbon Dioxide