Influence of an ionic and a nonionic (sodium meglumine diatrizoate and iopromide) x-ray contrast medium of hemorrheology.

In two groups of ten patients each, an ionic and a nonionic contrast medium was injected intravenously, for digital subtraction angiography of the supra-aortic branches, to examine the influence of hemorrheologic properties. Afterward, blood samples were obtained through a central venous catheter and evaluated by a new instrument (oscillating capillary rheometer and densitometer). The viscous and elastic components of the complex blood viscosity and the hematocrit decreased after injection of ionic and nonionic contrast media. A statistically significant difference between the patient groups could not be found. The evaluated results describe an improvement of the hemorrheologic properties after contrast media injection.