Cardiac effects of contrast media in MR angiography: evaluation in an experimental model of myocardial ischemia.
OBJECTIVE
The authors evaluated the cardiac tolerability of paramagnetic contrast agents for magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in an in vitro model of ischemic rat heart.


METHODS
The left anterior descending coronary artery was temporarily occluded in a perfused rat heart model to induce cardiac ischemia and reperfusion. A dose of 0.4 mL of gadobenate dimeglumine, of gadopentetate dimeglumine, or of D-mannitol was injected directly into the aorta both during the ischemia and during the reperfusion period. The left ventricular pressure and heart rate were recorded.


RESULTS
Myocardial ischemia resulted in decreased cardiac activity, with a reduction in left ventricular pressure and heart rate. A further decrease in cardiac activity was temporarily induced by injection of contrast medium during both the ischemic and early reperfusion phases. Less marked responses were induced by a hyperosmolal solution of mannitol.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the transient cardiac effects induced by bolus injection of paramagnetic contrast medium may be regarded as the combined effects of the osmotoxicity of the contrast medium solution and the chemotoxicity of the contrast medium molecule.
Castano
M
M
Milano Research Centre, Bracco SpA, Italy.
Cipolla
P
P
Garribba
D
D
Tirone
P
P
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000633:toxicity*; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000633:toxicity; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000633:toxicity; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017725:Ventricular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA