Cytogenetic effects of contrast media and triiodobenzoic acid derivatives in human lymphocytes.

Micronuclei counts in blood samples from 9 patients before and after angiocardiography have confirmed previous results suggesting the diatrizoate contrast medium was largely responsible for the observed cytogenetic damage. To discover the agents in the medium causing the cytogenetic damage, we exposed human lymphocyte cultures to diatrizoate and to the monoamino- and diamino-derivatives of triiodobenzoic acid. The results show the amino-derivatives are capable of inhibiting mitosis and inducing micronuclei and chromosome aberrations at lower concentrations than diatrizoate.