RADIOPAQUE POLY(2-HYDROXYETHYL METHACRYLATE) PARTICLES CONTAINING SILVER-IODIDE COMPLEXES TESTED ON CELL-CULTURE

Silver iodide complexes have been used as an effective radiopacifying agent to prepare radiopaque poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HE MA)) particles. Incorporation of silver iodide complexes inside the po ly(HEMA) particles was achieved by first swelling particles in potassi um iodide solution and precipitating the silver iodide complexes using a 30 wt% solution of silver nitrate. The dry particles contained 15 w t% of silver iodide complexes. Particles were easily monitored using a standard imaging technique based on X-ray absorption. Toxicity of the particles has been determined in in vitro experiments on a cell cultu re. As no inhibition of growth of cells surrounding the particles was observed, they can be considered non-toxic. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.