Death After Bronchography With a Water-Soluble Iodine-Containing Medium

Abstract

THE HISTORY OF bronchography has largely been that of a search for an ideal contrast medium, 1 the properties of which are well established, 2 and include physiologic inertness. Recently, American efforts have been largely in two directions, the investigation of barium suspensions as media and of a new iodine-containing water-soluble mixture (Hytrast), its iodine-containing molecules (not subject to enzymatic hydrolysis) being iopydone and iopydol. These constitute 50% weight per volume combined iodine. To increase viscosity, the suspension contains approximately 0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose. It also contains methyl and propyl parabens and monosodium phosphate. The contrast substance satisfies technical radiographic requirements well. 3 Most workers 4 report postbronchographic febrile response with few serious complicatons. There have been reports of histologically verified pneumonia, usually related to an area of alveolar filling (alveolar filling with contrast medium) and there is one published report of death following bronchography with this contrast medium. 5 The