Combined investigation of nontraditional X-ray contrast agents for indirect lymphography

In the present study a tracer (Fe, Ag, Au) has been used on different levels of the introscopy (SR analysis, structural and fine structural studies). Routes of the tracer evacuation from the pleural cavity of a rat to the parasternal lymph nodes and the distribution of the tracers within these nodes have been studied by means of synchrotron radiation (SR), structural and fine structural analysis. It was revealed that colloidal gold labeled albumin has been localized in subcapsular sinuses, while Fe and Ag were distributed more even in the tissue of the lymph node. We conclude that colloidal gold is the most suitable contrast agent for such studies since it can be used on all levels of introscopy and transportation of various proteins coupled with gold can be demonstrated.