To compare the clinical efficacy of Pamiray (iopamidol) as an intravenous nonionic contrast material in abdominal CT with that of Ultravist (iopromide), an established nonionic contrast agent.

Thirty patients who had undergone abdominal CT using Ultravist during the previous two-year period underwent abdominal CT using Pamiray after written consent to its use had been obtained. During scanning using both of these media, the regions of interest facility was used to measure, in Hounsfield units, attenvation in the liver, bilateral kidneys, aorta, portal vein, and inferior vena cava, and the paired t test was used to assess the statistical significance of the findings. The severity of adverse effects, if any, experienced during contrast material injection was classified as mild or severe, and their frequency was examined.

There was no significant difference between Pamiray and Ultravist in terms of the degree of contrast enhancement observed (p>0.05). During scanning in which Pamiray was used, three patients felt hot and two experienced mild nausea, but in none were adverse effects severe.

For abdominal CT, Pamiray is comparable to Ultravist in terms of contrast enhancement. Where the use of a nonionic contrast medium is required, Pamiray could thus be a useful clinical alternative.