Do contrast media (iomeprol, gadopentetate dimeglumine) deteriorate ischemia/reperfusion injury of the liver?
BACKGROUND
Hepatic microcirculation is a main determinant of reperfusion injury and graft quality in liver transplantation. One of the important diagnostic procedures to recognize reperfusion failure is contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the additional effect of contrast media (iomeprol and gadopentetate dimeglumine) on hepatic microcirculation and hepatic cellular damage in the phase of early ischemia/reperfusion injury of the rat liver.


METHODS
The partial warm ischemia-reperfusion injury model of rat liver was used. Microcirculation and leukocyte-endothelium interaction were measured by intravital microscopy. Hepatic cellular damage was indicated by liver enzyme activity in the sera. The evaluation parameters were measured at baseline and at 30, 60, and 90 min after reperfusion. The contrast media (iomeprol group, n = 6; gadopentetate dimeglumine group, n = 6) or Ringer's solution (control group, n = 8) were applied after 30 min of reperfusion.


RESULTS
No additional injury to the ischemia/reperfusion injury of the liver after intravenous application of radiographic contrast media was found. Some protective effect was even recorded after application of iodinated contrast media.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of contrast media during diagnostic procedure of the liver seems to be relatively safe, even in the stage of early reperfusion after liver transplantation.
Demir
R
R
Department of Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. r.demir@gmx.net
Banafsche
R
R
Melling
N
N
Gebhard
M-M
MM
Klar
E
E
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007479:Iopamidol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007552:Isotonic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015424:Reperfusion; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000077331:Ringer's Solution; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D052096:Warm Ischemia / Q000379:methods
D003287:Contrast Media; D007552:Isotonic Solutions; C057937:iomeprol; D000077331:Ringer's Solution; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D007479:Iopamidol; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA