Heavy metal particulate contrast materials for computed tomography of the liver.

Silver iodide colloid was used as a model of a particulate hepatic contrast agent for computed tomography (CT). Following intravenous administration to rabbits, approximately 90% of the injected dose was phagocytized by the liver's reticuloendothelial system, resulting in a four- to five-fold increase in the liver CT number. Suspensions of CeO2, Dy2O3, and Gd2O3 were prepared using stabilizers to prevent clumping. Particles of appropriate size for reticuloendothelial cell uptake were selected by centrifugation. Intravenous injections of the three suspensions increased the CT number of rabbit liver by approximately 30 Hounsfield units (HU: 1,000 scale) for each experimental contrast agent resulted in a minimum addition of 250 HU to the liver CT number. A linear relationship was found between the CT number and its contrast material concentration. This relationship was also tested in vitro by ashing samples of livers containing various amounts of contrast material. Standard curves of CT number versus contrast material concentration in the liver were plotted, which predicted the amount of liver enhancement obtained after contrast material injection. There may be a use for heavy metal-containing particulate materials as hepatic contrast agents, since they opacify the liver more selectively, to a higher degree, and for longer periods than the conventional biliary and urographic iodinated contrast materials.