Metrizamide in experimental urography. IV. Effects of bilateral ureteric stasis on urine iodine concentration after intravenous infection of an ionic and a non-ionic contrast medium.

The non-ionic contrast medium metrizamide was compared to the sodium salt of diatrizoate to investigate the potential usefulness of metrizamide in clinical urography when ureteric stasis is applied. After intravenous injection of the contrast media to rabbits at dose level 175 mg I/kg, the kidneys were subjected to temporary bilateral ureteric stasis. Urine was collected through ureteric catheters and analyzed for its concentration of iodine, sodium and potassium. After metrizamide injection the urine iodine concentration was twice as high as after sodium diatrizoate injection. This difference between one non-ionic and one ionic contrast medium was larger than what has been reported earlier during free flow of urine at the same dose. Furthermore, during the periods of ureteric stasis metrizamide was excreted faster than diatrizoate. When diatrizoate was given as its sodium salt, the sodium given was excreted at about the same rate as the diatrizoate given.