Epinephrine enhanced knee arthrography

The effect of 3 cc of 1:1000 epinephrine on iodine content, fluid volume and radiographic quality was evaluated in knee arthrograms in dogs. With the addition of epinephrine the iodine concentration and total iodine content were significantly higher initially and remained significantly higher than in controls over a one hour period. The fluid volume in the knee was significantly lower with epinephrine. Initially both contrast absorption and dilution have major effects in decreasing iodine concentration. With increasing time the effect of contrast absorption becomes the major factor, having a two to three times greater effect on decreasing iodine concentration. With epinephrine radiographs were judged significantly better early and while the quality deteriorated rapidly in the controls, the enhanced quality with epinephrine persisted up to one hour. Epinephrine is a very useful adjunct in enhancing the quality of knee arthrography.