MYELOGRAPHY WITH A DIMERIC (IODIXANOL) AND A MONOMERIC (IOHEXOL) CONTRAST-MEDIUM - A CLINICAL MULTICENTER COMPARATIVE-STUDY

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the radiographic efficacy and safety of iodixanol (Visipaque: 270 and 320 mg I/ml) and iohexol (Omnipaque; 300 mg I/ml) in myelography. The study was random ized, double-blind and comparative including 39S patients from five Eu ropean university clinics. The radiographic visualisation was evaluate d as poor, good or excellent. Adverse events were recorded by intervie wing the patients after the myelography, and each patient was given a questionnaire to be returned after 1 week. In cervical myelography wit h cervical puncture more films with excellent quality was obtained aft er iodixanol 320 mgI/ml compared with iohexol 300 mgI/ml (p = 0.009). Also in lumbar myelography iodixanol 320 mgI/ml compared favourably wi th iohexol 300 mgI/ml (p = 0.006). The most frequent adverse event was headache, which occurred in 5-35 % of patients during the first 24 h and in 19-61 % within the first 7 days, depending on the centre. There was no difference in frequency and severity of the adverse effects be tween the contrast media.