Contrast media-induced renal morphologic lesions during experimental hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Contrast media-induced renal morphologic changes were studied in rats. Hemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced as a means of sensitizing the animals to the effects of contrast media.

METHODS

The histologically verified hemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced in Wistar rats (n = 66) by injecting 6% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. After 2 hours, the animals received intravenously 1.0 or 3.0 g iodine/kg of high-osmolal osmolal diatrizoate, low-osmolal iopromide or iohexol, iso-osmolal iotrolan or 0.2 or 0.6 g/kg of high-osmolal magnetic resonance contrast agent, gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA). Control animals received physiologic saline. The kidneys were fixed by perfusion 2 hours later, and the morphologic changes were reviewed by two independent observers blinded to the injected agent.

RESULTS

The smaller dose of iohexol and the larger dose of all the contrast media induced a statistically significant (P < .001 or .01) cytoplasmic vacuolization in the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) cells. The nonionic, low- and iso-osmolal contrast media caused as much or even significantly more vacuolization than diatrizoate.

CONCLUSIONS

Hemorrhagic pancreatitis potentiates the contrast media-induced renal morphologic changes, which depend on the type and dose of the injected contrast media.