title: Low-osmolar monomeric versus iso-osmolar dimeric contrast media: an intra-individual comparison in CT angiography using an animal model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to compare intra-individual contrast enhancement in multidetector-row computed tomography using the low-osmolar monomeric iopromide 300 and the iso-osmolar dimeric iodixanol 320.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated computed tomography scanning of the chest of five pigs was performed under standardised conditions using iopromide 300 (300 mg I/mL) and iodixanol 320 (320 mg I/mL) with an identical iodine delivery rate of 1.5 g I/sec and a total iodine dose of 300 mg/kg body weight. Time-enhancement curves were computed, and pulmonary and aortic peak enhancement, time-to-peak and plateau time above 300 Hounsfield units (HU) were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intra-individual comparison revealed no statistically significant differences in contrast enhancement between the iopromide 300 and iodixanol 320 in the pulmonary artery and the aorta (620 vs 552 HU; P = 0.13). There was no significant difference between the two CM in the plateau time at the pulmonary artery and the aorta (P = 0.75 and P = 0.24, respectively). Aortic peak time was significantly earlier with iopromide 300 than with iodixanol 320 (P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-osmolar monomeric and iso-osmolar dimeric CM provide a similar and suitable vascular contrast enhancement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany. fbehrendt@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: Florian F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Behrendt
authors.forename: Hubertus
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pietsch
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jost
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.forename: Felix M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mottaghy
authors.forename: Rolf W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: Andreas H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mahnken
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D007472:Iohexol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D023421:Models, Animal; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; D007472:Iohexol; C038192:iopromide; C044834:iodixanol