Iofendylate is a molecule that was used as a
radiocontrast agent, typically for performing
myelography studies. It was marketed under the trade names Pantopaque (in North America) and Myodil (rest of the world).
Iofendylate is a highly
lipophilic (oily) substance and as such it was recommended that the physician remove it from the patient at the end of the myelography study, which was a difficult and painful part of the procedure. Moreover, because complete removal could not always be achieved (or even attempted by some physicians), iofendylate's persistence in the body might sometimes lead to
arachnoiditis
Arachnoiditis is an inflammatory condition of the arachnoid mater or 'arachnoid', one of the membranes known as meninges that surround and protect the nerves of the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. The arachnoid can be ...
, a potentially painful and debilitating lifelong disorder of the spine. As a result, the substance, which was used extensively for over three decades, became the subject of multiple lawsuits filed around the world.
Myodil litigation
/ref>
Iofendylate's use ceased when water-soluble agents suitable for spinal imaging (such as metrizamide
Metrizamide is a non-ionic iodine-based radiocontrast agent. It is also a density gradient medium for the centrifugation of biological particles.
Historically metrizamide replaced iofendylate (trade names: Pantopaque, Myodil) as the contrast ag ...
) became available in the late 1970s. With those substances it was no longer necessary to manually remove the contrast agent as it would eventually be removed by the body.
References
External links
Report from FOX News about the repercussions of Pantopaque use
(video segment from the 1990s)
Radiocontrast agents
Iodoarenes
{{pharmacology-stub