Acetrizoic acid is a pharmaceutical drug that was used as an
iodinated contrast
Iodinated contrast is a form of intravenous radiocontrast agent containing iodine, which enhances the visibility of vascular structures and organs during radiographic procedures. Some pathologies, such as cancer, have particularly improved visib ...
medium for
X-ray imaging
Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography ("diagnostic" and "therapeut ...
. It was applied in form of its salt, sodium acetrizoate, but is no longer in clinical use.
Chemistry and mechanism of action
The substance has high
osmolality
Molality is a measure of the number of moles of solute in a solution corresponding to 1 kg or 1000 g of solvent. This contrasts with the definition of molarity which is based on a specified volume of solution.
A commonly used unit for molali ...
and is
water-soluble
In chemistry, solubility is the ability of a substance, the solute, to form a solution with another substance, the solvent. Insolubility is the opposite property, the inability of the solute to form such a solution.
The extent of the solub ...
. The three
iodine atoms in the molecule readily absorb X-rays and are therefore responsible for its usability as a contrast medium.
History
Acetrizoate was developed by V.H. Wallingford of
Mallinckrodt
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals is an American-Irish domiciled manufacturer of specialty pharmaceuticals (namely, adrenocorticotropic hormone), generic drugs and imaging agents. In 2017 it generated 90% of its sales from the U.S. healthcare system. ...
, and introduced in 1950;
it was employed as a contrast agent for several radiographic studies, including
pyelography
Pyelogram (or pyelography or urography) is a form of imaging of the renal pelvis and ureter.
Types include:
* Intravenous pyelogram – In which a contrast solution is introduced through a vein into the circulatory system.
* Retrograde pyelogram ...
,
angiography
Angiography or arteriography is a medical imaging technique used to visualize the inside, or lumen, of blood vessels and organs of the body, with particular interest in the arteries, veins, and the heart chambers. Modern angiography is perfor ...
of the
brain
A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a ve ...
,
carotid
In anatomy, the left and right common carotid arteries (carotids) (Entry "carotid"
in
aorta
The aorta ( ) is the main and largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it splits into two smaller arteries (the common iliac arteries). The aorta distributes o ...
, and
cholecystography
Oral cholecystography is a radiological procedure used to visualize the gallbladder and biliary channels, developed in 1924 by American surgeons Evarts Ambrose Graham
Evarts Ambrose Graham (1883–1957) was an American academic, physician, and ...
. It was soon found to be highly toxic to the
kidney
The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blo ...
s and
nervous system
In biology, the nervous system is the highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes ...
—work urging caution in its administration was published as early as 1959,
after reports of adverse reactions ranging from hypersensitivity to brain damage—and was eventually replaced by other agents with higher efficacy and lower toxicity, such as
sodium diatrizoate, a closely related compound.
[
]
Trade names
Trade names include Urokon, Triurol and Salpix, as well as Gastrografina and Urografina in Portugal.
References
Iodobenzene derivatives
Radiocontrast agents
Acetanilides
Benzoic acids
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