1922 - 1928

Tuesday, 22 February 2005 19:34
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Air myelography had significant limitations, which led to the introduction of the alternative, Lipiodol, in 1922.

 

This was an iodinated compound in poppyseed oil.

It was highly toxic, but somewhat less so than Thorotrast, which was used from 1923 and included a radioactive component that later caused cancer in a significant percentage of patients.

In 1928, Swedish authors Odin, Rundstrom and Lindblom published a paper ([1]) on their findings of acute reaction to iodised oils including Lipiodol. They found that there was an acute meningeal reaction, but they did not perform long-term follow-up.

[1] Odin M et al., Acta Radiologica 1928 Suppl. VII Iodized oils as an aid to diagnosis of lesions of the spinal cord and a contribution to the knowledge of adhesive arachnoiditis.