Demonstration of splenic and portal veins at routine celiac angiography. A clinical investigation of metrizoate and ioxaglate.

The demonstration of splenic and portal veins during routine celiac angiography was prospectively investigated and blindly scored in 25 patients. Two identical angiographic series were performed with randomized intraindividual injections of either metrizoate 280 mg I/ml and ioxaglate 280 mg I/ml or metrizoate 370 mg I/ml and ioxaglate 320 mg I/ml. The splenic and portal veins were significantly better demonstrated when ioxaglate 280 mg I/ml was used, compared with metrizoate 280 mg/ml. No significant difference was found between metrizoate 370 mg I/ml and ioxaglate 320 mg I/ml. Ioxaglate and metrizoate adequately demonstrated the splenic veins but ioxaglate did so at a lower iodine concentration. A slower transcapillary diffusion rate combined with a lower osmolality of ioxaglate compared with metriozate is considered the major explanation for the better demonstration of the veins.