Carotid blood flow response to Conray-60: diagnostic implications.

The vasoactive effect of the angiographic contrast medium Conray-60 (iothalamate meglumine 60%) on carotid blood flow was studied by the video dilution technique in 26 subjects during routine neuroangiography. After a test series of 1 ml injections of contrast material into the carotid arteries at designated time intervals, an increase in carotid blood flow was found in normal controls at 30 sec, while a significant decrease in flow was observed in patients with atheromatous disease and avascular intracranial masses (p less than 0.01). Test responses in patients with intracranial aneurysm, neoplasm, and granulomatous vasculitis are also reported. The differential effect of contrast material on the cerebral circulation correlates well with several pathologic states of the central nervous system and may be used as a simple test to diagnose and evaluate a variety of vascular disorders.