US EPA

3875535 

Journal Article 

Effects of IMAGENT on pulmonary hemodynamics and gas exchange in dogs 

Kirkton, SD; Wagner, H; Landicho, MM; Struthers, JJ; Busan, N; Wagner, PD 

2006 

1 

Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
ISSN: 0301-5629
EISSN: 1879-291X 

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC 

NEW YORK 

32 

6 

949-959 

English 

16785016 

10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2006.02.1422 

WOS:000238557800017 

Imagent is an IV injected contrast echocardiography agent designed to image the left ventricle after traversing the pulmonary circulation. We examined the effect of Imagent on pulmonary function by injecting either Imagent (n = 8) or equivalent volume of saline (n = 7) IV in randomly ordered 1, 8 and 16 mg/kg doses in dogs with preexisting pulmonary hypertension. We found that Imagent had no effects on cardiac output, pulmonary gas exchange, lung wet:dry ratio or static compliance. However, the 16 mg/kg dose of Imagent increased both pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) transiently by an average of 5.7 mmHg (p < 0.05) 2 to 3 min after injection and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) by 5.9 mmHg per l/min (p < 0.05) 4 min after injection before returning to preinjection levels. The lower doses of Imagent did not affect PAP or PVR. These results imply that the approved clinical dose of Imagent (0.125 mg/kg) will not affect pulmonary hemodynamics, gas exchange or mechanical properties in dogs with preexisting pulmonary hypertension. 

Animals; Blood Pressure/drug effects; Contrast Media/pharmacokinetics/pharmacology; Fluorocarbons/pharmacokinetics/pharmacology; Hydrocarbons, Brominated/pharmacokinetics/pharmacology; Lung/metabolism; Lung Compliance/drug effects; Microspheres; Pulmonary Artery/physiology; Pulmonary Circulation/drug effects; Pulmonary Gas Exchange/drug effects