Comparative evaluation of intravenous and subcutaneous injection of iodixanol in rabbit excretory urography

This study was conducted to compare the quality of different phases of excretory urography by using Iodixanol in two intravenous and subcutaneous injection ways; to clarify if the way of injection can affect these qualities. For this, twenty New Zealand white rabbits were used. All the animals were fed on the same diet of pellet and dried hay and free access water. Rabbits were divided into two groups; the first group received 400 mgI/kg intravenously (marginal vein) and the second group received the same dose, subcutaneously. For radiography, rabbits were off-feed for 24 hours. Radiographs were taken in two lateral and ventro-dorsal views. Radiographs were taken on times of 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60 minutes after intravenous and on times of 0 and 1 and every 5 minutes until one hour after subcutaneous injections. The qualities of different phase were assessed and scored quantitively. The results of this study showed that subcutaneous injection of this contrast media could produce excretory urography but the quality and the feasibility to read different phases are not as well as what could be seen in intravenous way. The results of this experiment showed that nephrogram, pyelogram and cystogram phases were significantly better when the contrast media was injected intravenously (P<0.05).