The effect of radiographic contrast media on ultrasonically detectable red blood cell aggregation in vitro

We investigated the effect of radiographic contrast media (RCM) on red blood cell (RBC) aggregation by analyzing echogenicity of flowing blood before and after the addition of 2%, 20%, 50% or 95% volume of undiluted meglumine diatrizoate, iohexol, sodium meglumine ioxaglate, or iopamidol and equiosmolar volume concentration of saline. This was done both by stepwise increasing the concentration with minimal mixing and by stepwise decreasing the concentrations with more efficient mixing. All contrast media caused a drop in blood echogenicity after a proper mixing when compared with saline addition. After minimal stirring, both meglumine diatrozoate and iohexol caused a significant increase in blood echogenicity at volume concentrations over 50%. The paper demonstrates that earlier findings of both increased and decreased RBC aggregation following exposure to RCM can be reproduced and that the result depends on experimental setup. In diatrizoate and iohexol RBC aggregates disappear after mixing (increasing the shear rate) or when the RCM/blood mixture is diluted. After dispersement, the abnormal RBC aggregates will not reform.