The British Journal of Radiology, Vol 70, Issue 840 1229-1238, Copyright © 1997 by British Institute of Radiology

ARTICLES

Effects of radiographic contrast media on the tension of isolated small pulmonary arteries

YX Wang, CJ Emery, E Laude and SK Morcos
Department of Experimental Medicine, Sheffield University Medical School, UK.

The aim of the study was to establish the direct effects of radiographic contrast media (RCM) on the tension of isolated small pulmonary arteries and to investigate any mediation by nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET). Small pulmonary arteries (0.3-0.6 mm in diameter) from male Wistar rats were mounted in a Cambustion vessel myograph and vessel wall tension recorded. The effects of 10, 20, 40, 80, 150, 200 and 250 mgl mI-1 of diatrizoate, ioxaglate, iopromide and iotrolan and their mannitol osmolar control from basal condition, and when the vessels were preconstricted with prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) either submaximally (10 microM) or maximally (100 microM), were studied. The constrictor response to diatrizoate (40 mgI ml-1) was tested in the presence of non-selective endothelin receptor antagonist (10 microM SB209670). The dilator response to ioxaglate (80 mgI ml-1) was tested in the presence of L-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 microM). All RCM caused biphasic changes in tension, a small transient fall (dilatation) followed by a sustained rise (constriction). Mannitol caused constriction only. The potency order of constrictions at 10-40 mgI ml-1 was diatrizoate > iopromide > ioxaglate > iotrolan. When the vessels were preconstricted with PGF2 alpha, RCM caused predominantly dilatation; ioxaglate produced the largest effect (-42.1 +/- 3.1%, n = 12). Mannitol caused constriction only. SB209607 had no effect on the constrictor effect of diatrizoate [41.9 +/- 2.3 alone, 42.1 +/- 2.7 with SB209670, n = 10]. L-NAME had no effect on the dilator response to ioxaglate [-38.2 +/- 1.6 alone, -43.6 +/- 2.2 with L-NAME, n = 8]. It is tempting to postulate that dimeric RCM may cause the least changes in the pulmonary circulation during angiography.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y.-X. J Wang and S.-X. Yan Biomedical imaging in the safety evaluation of new drugs Lab Anim, October 1, 2008; 42(4): 433 - 441. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. V. Hofmann, D. S. Lee, A. Gupta, A. Arepally, S. Sood, R. Girgis, and J. Eng Safety and Hemodynamic Effects of Pulmonary Angiography in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension: 10-Year Single-Center Experience Am. J. Roentgenol., September 1, 2004; 183(3): 779 - 785. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S K Morcos Effects of radiographic contrast media on the lung Br. J. Radiol., May 1, 2003; 76(905): 290 - 295. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C J Emery, L Fang, E A Laude, and S K Morcos Effects of radiographic contrast media on pulmonary vascular resistance of normoxic and chronically hypoxic pulmonary hypertensive rats Br. J. Radiol., December 1, 2001; 74(888): 1109 - 1117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]