Usefulness of liposomes carrying losefamate for CT opacification of liver and spleen.

Losefamate, a hepatobiliary contrast agent, was encapsulated into liposomes to increase its ability to opacify the liver and spleen on computed tomographic (CT) images. Multilamellar lipid vesicles (lecithin, cholesterol, and stearylamine, in 4:1:1 molar ratio) containing iosefamate in their aqueous phase were prepared. Seven dogs received intravenous injections of 100-300 mg I/kg in one of three forms: encapsulated, unencapsulated, or a mixture of the two in equal parts. Animals that received the opaque vesicles had marked opacification of their livers, bile ducts, gallbladders, spleens (maximum 106 H enhancement), and gastrointestinal tracts. Spleen CT values (an indicator of encapsulated material uptake) were always higher in these dogs than in the animals receiving equivalent amounts of unencapsulated iosefamate alone. At the high-dose level, liver uptake of the encapsulated materials was also greater. Liposome-encapsulated hepatobiliary contrast agents are effective liver and spleen opacifiers for CT imaging in the dog.