THE SAFETY OF INTRAVASCULAR CARBON DIOXIDE AND ITS USE FOR ROENTGENOLOGIC VISUALIZATION OF INTRACARDIAC STRUCTURES

Abstract

Large doses of pure CO2 (7.5 ml/kg body weight) were injected repeatedly intravenously and into the left heart of animals without untoward effect. Doses up to 100 ml were injected into human beings, also without untoward effect. Such injections provide a means of contrast roentgen visualization of intracardiac structures and events which is particularly effective when recorded by moving picture technique. The technique is especially valuable for study of the right ventricular outflow tract. Stress was placed upon the importance of using pure CO2 gas for any human intravenous injections. Whenever injections are to be made into human tissues for gas contrast visualization, CO2 should be used in place of the usual air or O2 in order to avoid the danger of serious embolism.