Experimental pancreatography: a comparison of three contrast media.

Twenty-five piglets were subjected to experimental transduodenal pancreatography, using three contrast media (CM), namely sodium meglumine diatrizoate (Urografin), meglumine ioxaglate (Hexabrix), and iohexol (Omnipaque), all diluted to a concentration of 300 mg/ml of iodine. The emptying of CM from pancreatic ducts was studied by repeated roentgenograms, and pancreatic irritation by serum amylase and phospholipase A2 measurements. On the 3rd day after pancreatography the glands were removed for histologic examination of tissue damage. Hyperamylasaemia was seen in 53% of the animals 12 to 15 h after examination, to equal extents in each group. Minimal acinar destruction was seen on histologic examination in all cases. The changes were least when diatrizoate was used. The difference from the changes seen in the ioxaglate group was significant (p less than 0.05). Emptying of CM from the ducts was highly significantly (p less than 0.001) faster in the diatrizoate group than in the other groups. Rapid emptying may be an advantage in clinical endoscopic retrograde pancreaticocholangiography.