It was used in form of its salts, metrizoates. Due to its high osmolality, metrizoic acid had a risk of inducing allergic reactions higher than that of lower osmolar contrast media.[4]
Chemistry
The iodine content of metrizoate ranged from 370 mg/ml to 440 mg/ml, with osmolarity has high as 2100 mOsm/kg. The viscosity is 3.4 cP at 37 degree Celsius (human body temperature).[5]
Adverse effects
Side effects of metrizoate are: urticaria, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and hypotension. Other side effects include minor electrocardiographic changes such as tachycardia, bradycardia, and inversion of T waves.[6]
References
^Vik-Mo H, Danielsen R, Skinningsrud K, Haider T, Bjørkhaug A (1997). "Cardiovascular and electrocardiographic effects of iopentol in left ventricular angiography. Comparison of the low-osmolar, non-ionic iopentol (Imagopaque 350) and the hyper-osmolar, ionic metrizoate meglumine-Na-Ca (Isopaque Coronar 370) in patients with coronary heart disease". European Radiology. 7 (Suppl 4): S156 –S161. doi:10.1007/pl00006885. PMID9204361. S2CID27742637.
^Zachrisson BE, Jagenburg R (1983). "Comparison of iohexol with metrizoate in urography. A single blind parallel investigation". Acta Radiologica. Supplementum. 366: 30–37. PMID6147958.
^Steinberg I, Evans JA (September 1967). "Isopaque 440 (metrizoate); a new cardiovascular contrast medium. Experience with 100 consecutive cases". The American Journal of Roentgenology, Radium Therapy, and Nuclear Medicine. 101 (1): 229–233. doi:10.2214/ajr.101.1.229. PMID4166780.