Comparison of the Effects of Ioversol and Other Contrast Media on the Blood-Brain Barrier

Little information is available concerning the neurotoxicity of ioversol injected in animals. The effects of ioversol and other contrast media as well as vehicle control on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) were examined by injection into the left carotid artery of Mongolian gerbils 1 min prior to the i.v. injection of [8-14C] dopamine. The animals were sacrificed 1 min after the i.v. injection to prepare the frontal brain sections following the stereotaxic atlas. No uptake of the labeled substance was observed when the vehicle control and ioversol were used, suggesting that exposure to ioversol does not damage the BBB. Both meglumine sodium amidotrizoate and iohexol caused damage to the BBB, as shown in the cerebral cortex, brain stem, and hippocampus sections in the left semisphere. Iopaidol induced a much less but significant effect. Our results suggest that ioversol is an useful contrast medium.