What About Contrast-X-ray Information

There is definitley a big buzz right now concerning contrast and X-ray Information.Television ads with Legal advice concerning anyone who has had MRI contrast. What's it all about and why is it so popular right now? That's a pretty good question. I have been an x-ray technologist for 35 years and have used IV Contrast materials..of one form or another, from the very beginning. Years ago the IV (meaning Intravenous..or through a vein) used to contain almost 60% iodine. The good thing was that this worked well for the x-rays..it helped everything to show up well. The bad part was that alot of patients either became very nauseated during the exam, or some developed hives,etc.. Not everyone had problems, but quite a few did. This was the "best" that we had at the time and the standard contrast agent to use. Keep in mind that Contrast agents are very necessary for some x-ray tests because Organs within the body are hollow and will not show up. The Contrast media fills the organ and it is demonstrated on the x-ray. As mentioned on a previous blog post..there are 2 types of Contrast. One is the Oral type that you drink and it rarely causes any problems other than occasional diarrhea. The IV contrast goes into the bloodstream and can present a problem for some patients.
It is required by every Hospital X-ray Dept. that a patient fill out a history sheet and present a list of medications they are currently taking. Most patients view this as a chore, un-necessary paperwork, or whatever. It could not be further from the truth. Each question on the history sheet is vitally important to the technologist performing your exam and to the Radiologist who is reading it. First question is "Have you ever had IV contrast material before?"...This is very important because IF you have had it previously, and IF you had ANY type of problem with it, the Radiologist will probably tell you that you CANNOT have the x-ray contrast ever again. WHY you ask? IF you had a few hives the first time, your body is telling you something is wrong and not to do it again. We take that seriously and know that the next time it could be much worse and possibly fatal. I usually tell my patients that have had a prior reaction to Contrast that they should consider obtaining a Medic ALert bracelet, or necklace. IF perhaps you were in a serious accident you may not be able to inform medical personnell that you are allergic to the contrast. They might send you directly for a CAT scan with IV contrast, and that could have some serious consequences. So, I think that's important. We also require patients to have current blood work for BUN & Creatinine..This tells us how the kidneys are functioning. Patients who are over 70 or diabetic are at risk for problems here. We cannot..or will not..administer the contrast without a recent BUN/creatinine. IF you fail to give correct history to the technologist you can cause serious problems for yourself. Many times these problems with Contrast are caused by improper information from the patient themselves. Always carry a current list of medications you are taking so we can be sure the contrast will not conflict with them. Try to pay very close attention to x-ray information,either written or oral, so you can work with the technologist to provide the best and safest exam possible. IF you have any questions always call ahead and ask the X-ray technologist. Most hospitals staff 24 hours every day and they are more than happy to explain anything you need. It's our goal to provide you with the most accurate information so you can assist us with your care. I hope this x-ray information has helped you to better understand Contrast and x-rays.