Thursday October 11, 2007
Carbon Dioxide Angiography

Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas is used as an alternative contrast to iodinated contrast material. When injected into a blood vessel, carbon dioxide bubbles displace blood, allowing vascular imaging. Because of the lack of nephrotoxicity and allergic reactions, CO2 is increasingly used as a contrast agent for diagnostic angiography and vascular interventions.

CO2 is particularly useful in patients with renal insufficiency or a history of hypersensitivity to iodinated contrast medium. Also, it is safe as CO2 is effectively eliminated by means of respiration.

Disadvantage: CO2 is less dense than iodinated contrast medium, and the overall quality of the CO2 vascular image is less than the contrast medium.


Cautions:

• CO2 should not be used as a contrast agent in the coronary and cerebral circulations because of the possibility of adverse effects secondary to a gas embolism. Safely, CO2 should be avoided in vessels above the diaphragm.
• In patients with pulmonary insufficiency or pulmonary hypertension because of amount diagnostic doses of CO2 pulmonary arterial pressure may increase.
• In right-to-left shunts Co2 may cause paradoxical gas embolism.
  
  

See slide presentation CARBON DIOXIDE ANGIOGRAPHY AND INTERVENTION CARBON DIOXIDE (Jim Caridi MD. University of Florida. Gainesville, FL)



Reference: click to get article

Carbon Dioxide Angiography - emedicine.com