Frequency of angiography-induced gallbladder opacification assessed bt CT after 12?24 h

Abstract

A series of CT examinations 12–24 h after angiography were performed to study the incidence of gallbladder opacification. A total of 526 patients were administered four kinds of intravascular contrast media: ioxaglate, iohexol, iopamidol and diatrizoate (mean dosage 321 ml). The degree of gallbladder opacification was classified into four grades, from normal (grade 0) to severe (grade 3), that showed high-density bile measuring more than 100 HU. Gallbladder opacification was observed in 325 patients (62%). Distinct opacification of grades 2 and 3 was shown in 48% of the ioxaglate, 46% of the iohexol, 23% of the iopamidol and 22% of the diatrizoate groups. In the ioxaglate group a high incidence of gallbladder opacification was noted not only in the renal dysfunction group, but also in the normal hepatobiliary function group with normal renal function. Gallbladder opacification after angiography was not a rare phenomenon and does not imply renal dysfunction.