Renal excretion of ingested gastrografin: clinical relevance in early postoperative treatment of patients who have undergone gastric surgery.
OBJECTIVE
We performed this study to evaluate the clinical relevance of renal excretion of ingested Gastrografin (methylglucamine diatrizoate) revealed on CT in the early treatment of patients who have undergone gastric surgery.


METHODS
Unenhanced abdominal CT was performed before and then 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min after Gastrografin ingestion in 30 patients 7 days after gastric surgery and in 19 healthy adults who served as the control group. CT scans were reviewed for the opacification of the renal collecting system or urinary bladder after Gastrografin ingestion, a finding that represents renal excretion of the ingested contrast medium.


RESULTS
In the control group, four (21 %) of the 19 healthy adults showed renal excretion of ingested Gastrografin visualized as opacification of the urinary tract on CT scans obtained 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min after ingestion of the substance. Renal excretion of the ingested Gastrografin was seen in 19 (63%) of the 30 patients, a significantly larger percentage than in the control group (z score, p < 0.01). No patient showed either radiologic or clinical evidence of leakage from the anastomotic site.


CONCLUSIONS
Renal excretion of ingested Gastrografin is frequently visualized on CT in patients without anastomotic leakage during the early postoperative period after gastric surgery, and this phenomenon is not rare, even in healthy adults. Therefore, renal excretion seen on CT should not be regarded as a sign of anastomotic leakage in early postoperative patients.
Sohn
Kyung-Myung
KM
Department of Radiology, Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, 665 PupyungDong, PupyungGu, Inchon 403-720, South Korea.
Lee
Sung-Yong
SY
Kwon
Oh-Han
OH
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003974:Diatrizoate Meglumine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D003287:Contrast Media; D003974:Diatrizoate Meglumine