Radiopaque acrylic cements prepared with a new acrylic derivative of iodo-quinoline

A novel iodine-containing methacrylate, 2,5-diiodo-8-quinolyl methacrylate, has been synthesized and used in the preparation of acrylic radiopaque cem ents. The effect of incorporation of this monomer to the self-curing resins , on the curing parameters, swelling behaviour and mechanical properties wa s studied. The incorporation of the radiopaque compound 2,5-diiodo-8-hydrox yquinoline to the solid phase was also carried out for comparative experime nts. A decrease in the peak temperature and an increase in the setting time was observed with the addition of the radiopaque monomer, however, the cur ing parameters did not appreciably change with the addition of the radiopaq ue compound to the solid phase. Swelling of the modified cements was in the same range as that of the radiolucent cement; however, the diffusion coeff icients calculated according to the Fick's law were higher for the iodine-c ontaining materials. The addition of 5 wt% of the iodine-containing methacr ylate provided a significant increase in the tensile properties with respec t to either control radiolucent formulations or BaSO4-containing formulatio ns. Biocompatibility of the modified cements was studied by implantation of rods of the cements into rats and histological analysis of the surrounding tissue. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.