Comparison of Rhenium and Iodine as Contrast Agents in X-Ray Imaging

Figure 14

X-ray imaging of coated catheters. The images show (a, b) the vascular catheters and (c, d) the PTCA dilatation catheters coated with samples of (A) the rhenium-doped scaffold and (B) the rhenium-free scaffold. (b, d) Representative axial images acquired at 90 kVp (110 As). (b) The catheters in (a). (d) The catheters in (c). A significant improvement, in contrast, is observed with the rhenium-doped polymer-based coating. Four uncoated catheters are included in (b) (indicated with red arrows).

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