Clinical trial of ipodate. A new oral cholangiographic agent.

Abstract

SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION in 1952, intravenous cholangiography using sodium iodipamide (Cholografin) has become a valuable and reliable method for the diagnosis of biliary tract disease, particularly following cholecystectomy. However, besides the risk and inconvenience involved in any intravenous procedure, serious reactions with the use of iodipamide have been reported in up to 2.5% of examinations in some series, with lesser reactions ranging as high as 38.8%. Thus, an oral contrast medium which could offer comparable results to those obtained by the intravenous method would have obvious advantages. Ipodate (Oragrafin) is a new cholecystographic and cholangiographic medium for oral administration which is rapidly excreted by the liver in sufficient quantity to produce opacification in the cystic and common bile ducts. It is prepared as the sodium or calcium salt of 3-(dimethylaminomethylamino)-2, 4, 6-triiodohydrocinnamic acid, with an iodine content of 61%. The sodium salt is available in 0.5-gm. capsules, and the calcium