Contrast Media: What Must Radiologists Know before Use?

Contrast media are widely used and are indispensable in diagnostic imaging. Like other pharmaceuticals they are not devoid of risk. Adverse side effects from contrast media administration vary from minor physiological disturbances to rare severe life-threatening situations and we should be Prepared for prompt treatment of contrast media reactions and appropriately trained personnel, equipment, and medications should be available. Therefore, such preparation is best accomplished prior to approving and performing these examinations. familiarity with presentations of contrast media reactions and their treatments must be part of the environment in which intravascular (IV) contrast media are administered. referring physician and the radiologist should be sure that there is a valid clinical indication for contrast media administration, assess patient risk versus potential benefit of the contrast-assisted examination, and be aware of Imaging alternatives that would provide the same or better diagnostic information. Most common side effects of IV contrast media administration are allergic-like and physiologic reactions and contrast-associated acute kidney injury.
Patients with a prior allergic-like or unknown-type contrast reaction to the same class of contrast medium should take oral or IV premedication before contrast media administration. most important risk factor for contrast- associated acute kidney injury is pre-existing severe renal insufficiency and administration of low osmolality contrast media and Volume Expansion may lower the risk. In this session we will briefly review common contrast media side effects and how to prevent or treat them.