No pulmonary edema or congestion after central venous injection of conventional and newer contrast media in dogs.

Our aim was to determine whether large central venous doses of ionic diatrizoate, nonionic iopromide, or nonionic iotrolane produce pulmonary edema or pulmonary congestion in dogs. Eighteen dogs (six per group) anesthetized with piritramide and N2O received three sequential doses (1.5 mL/kg body weight) of one contrast medium in less than 20 seconds. Before the first injection, and again 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes after each contrast injection, extravascular lung water, pulmonary blood volume, and cardiac output were determined by thermal-dye dilution. Neither extravascular lung water nor pulmonary blood volume increased after any contrast medium. Pulmonary blood volume and cardiac output decreased slightly but not significantly after all contrast media during the course of the study. We conclude that diatrizoate, iopromide, or iotrolane do not produce pulmonary edema or congestion in dogs.