Pharmacokinetics of low- and high-dose intravenous diatrizoate contrast media administration.

The pharmacokinetics of diatrizoate contrast media were determined following low- (0.7 g I/kg) and high- (1.5 g I/kg) dose intravenous administration. The higher dose of contrast media produced plasma concentrations of iodine which remained approximately twice as high as conventional doses for one hour following infusion. This finding may explain the improved CT images obtained after infusion of higher doses of iodine contrast media. There was no significant long-term change in plasma osmolality noted in venous blood after either dose.