Iofendylate is a molecule that was used as a
radiocontrast agent
Radiocontrast agents are substances used to enhance the visibility of internal structures in X-ray-based imaging techniques such as computed tomography ( contrast CT), projectional radiography, and fluoroscopy. Radiocontrast agents are typically i ...
, typically for performing
myelography
Myelography is a type of radiographic examination that uses a contrast medium to detect pathology of the spinal cord, including the location of a spinal cord injury, cysts, and tumors. Historically the procedure involved the injection of a radioc ...
studies. It was marketed under the trade names Pantopaque (in North America) and Myodil (rest of the world).
Iofendylate is a highly
lipophilic
Lipophilicity (from Greek λίπος "fat" and φίλος "friendly"), refers to the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, and non-polar solvents such as hexane or toluene. Such non-polar solvents are themselves lipo ...
(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) 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.MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves ...
, myelography studies are nowadays much less-frequently performed.
References
External links
Report from FOX News about the repercussions of Pantopaque use
(video segment from the 1990s)
Radiocontrast agents
Iodoarenes
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