Abstract: Objective As a good diagnostic means,contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CECT) has been used for evaluating acute pancreatitis,but,it is uncertain whether the contrast medium(CM),which must be used in CECT,has adverse effects to the microcirculation of pancreas with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of contrast media on microcirculation of pancreas with SAP by measuring volume of blood flow and evaluating changes in pathology of pancreas in rat SAP models,which has been intravenously injected CM.Methods SAP models of wistar rats were divided into 5 groups randomly: control group,SAP group,SAP with normal saline injecting group,SAP with 76% Cardiografin injecting group and SAP with ultravist-300 injecting group. Then,volume of blood flow into the pancreas was measured and changes in pathology were evaluated to show the influence of CM on microcirculation of pancreas with SAP.Results Comparing with SAP group,the other 3 groups had no significant differences on volume of blood flow and pathologic changes(P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among the 4 study groups(P>0.05).Conclusion This study shows that CM has no adverse effects on the microcirculation of rat pancreas with SAP and would not worsen the disease.

Key words: acute pancreatitis, contrast medium, pancreatic microcirculation