Contrast venography of the leg: diagnostic efficacy, tolerance, and complication rates with ionic and nonionic contrast media

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Radiology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.165.1.3306781· OSTI ID:6024199

Bettmann, M A; Robbins, A; Braun, S D; Wetzner, S; Dunnick, N R; Finkelstein, J

A prospective, three-center study of two contrast agents for leg venography was performed to evaluate both the relative frequency of adverse effects and whether low-osmolality agents provided significant advantages for this procedure. Fifty-four patients were studied with the standard preparation (iothalamate meglumine) and 57 with a nonionic agent (iopamidol). Both were used at an iodine concentration of 200 mg/mL, and there were no differences in volume of contrast material, duration of infusion, percentage of positive studies, or overall diagnostic adequacy. Patient discomfort was less with iopamidol than with iothalamate (18% vs. 44%), although discomfort was generally mild in both groups. By objective follow-up studies, the frequency of postvenographic thrombosis was not significantly different in the two groups (8% vs. 9%). Contrast venography, then, had a low frequency of complications when either a dilute conventional or a low-osmolality agent was employed. Although the frequency of postvenographic thrombosis was low with both agents, patient discomfort was less with the low-osmolality formulation.

• Research Organization: Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
• OSTI ID: 6024199
• Journal Information: Radiology; (United States), Journal Name: Radiology; (United States) Vol. 165:1; ISSN RADLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550602* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BLOOD COAGULATION FACTORS
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COAGULANTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTRAST MEDIA
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DRUGS
FIBRINOGEN
GLOBULINS
HEMATOLOGIC AGENTS
HEMOSTATICS
IOPAMIDOL
LEGS
LIMBS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATIENTS
PROTEINS
RADIOLOGY
SIDE EFFECTS
VEINS