Plasma diatrizoate concentrations during computed cranial tomography were measured by UV spectrophotometry in 14 patients. A loading dose of 0.82 mg diatrizoatesol;kg followed by a steady infusion of 0.01 mgsol;kg was required to attain and maintain plasma concentrations of approximately 400 mgsol;100 ml. Lowering the beam energy resulted in a substantial increase in the EMI numbers of diatrizoate and significant improvement in the delineation of contrast containing lesions. A contrast index estimating the volume of a pixel containing diatrizoate was calculated for five diagnosed lesions and this factor appears to be related to vascularity and extravasation.
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