'Gadolinium' as an alternative to iodinated contrast media for X-ray angiography in patients with severe allergy.

Some patients cannot undergo coronary angiography (CAG) because of the adverse effects of contrast media. In the present study gadolinium, (gadodiamide hydrate: Gd DTPA-BMA) commonly used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), was used as the contrast agent for diagnostic CAG in 3 patients with severe allergy to iodine or iodinated contrast agents. The indications for CAG were recurrent chest pain, evaluation of peri-operative risk of gastric cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysm, and evaluation of graft patency after coronary artery bypass grafting. The procedure was well tolerated by each patient and the amount of the gadolinium-based contrast media did not exceed 40 ml, which is twice the volume used for MRI. The images were of fair quality. In patients with allergy to iodinated contrast media, CAG with gadolinium-based contrast media is an alternative technique for evaluating coronary artery disease.