Iodinated contrast agents
Also known as: contrast dye, CT contrast, X-ray contrast medium, iodine contrast
The iodine-containing dyes injected for CT scans and angiography that make blood vessels, organs and tumours show up, generally safe but with a small risk of allergic-type reactions and kidney injury in vulnerable people.
- Generic name
- Iodinated contrast agents
- Active ingredient
- Iodinated contrast agents
- Product type
- Contrast agent
- Drug class
- Contrast agents
- Brand names
- UK Omnipaque, Ultravist, Visipaque · US Omnipaque, Isovue, Visipaque
- Routes
- Intravenous, Oral, Intra-articular (Intravenous or intra-arterial injection; oral or into a body cavity for some studies)
- Dosage forms
- Injection, Solution
- Also known as
- contrast dye, CT contrast, X-ray contrast medium, iodine contrast
- Forms
- Injection given by the radiology team during the scan; the dose depends on the examination and body weight
- Onset and duration
- Immediate; a warm flush and metallic taste are common during the injection. Cleared by the kidneys over hours.
- Terminology
- ATC V08AB
- Monitoring
- Kidney function (creatinine/eGFR) before the scan in at-risk people and after if indicated; observation for a reaction during and shortly after the injection.
Availability by country
| Country | Status | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Hospital only | Administered by the radiology team during imaging | UK |
Legal status differs between countries and can change; each row cites the document it was taken from and applies only to the country named.
What it is used for
- Making blood vessels, organs and abnormal tissue visible on CT scans
- Angiography and coronary angiography under X-ray
- Some X-ray examinations of the urinary tract, gut and joints
How it works in the body
Iodine atoms absorb X-rays strongly. Injected into the bloodstream, the contrast medium briefly fills vessels and perfuses organs, so those structures block more X-rays and appear bright on the image while the surrounding tissue stays darker; timing the scan to the arterial or venous phase shows different things. The molecules are not metabolised and are removed by the kidneys within hours.
Common side effects
- A warm feeling, flushing and a metallic taste during the injection
- Feeling sick, a mild rash or itching
Serious: seek help
- Allergic-type reactions, from hives to, rarely, anaphylaxis
- Acute kidney injury in people with pre-existing kidney disease, dehydration or diabetes
- Leakage into the tissues at the injection site
- Effects on thyroid function in people with thyroid disease
Cautions and interactions
- Kidney function is checked before the scan in people at risk; extra fluids may be given
- A previous contrast reaction, severe allergy or asthma is declared beforehand
- Metformin may be paused around the scan in people with reduced kidney function (the radiology team advises)
- Thyroid disease and planned radioactive iodine treatment
- Pregnancy: used only when the scan is essential
Interactions
Check interactions
Taking Iodinated contrast agents with other medicines? Add them to the checker to see what the official sources say about each pair: the mechanism, general management and monitoring, never a bare "safe".
Interactions documented in the official sources cited on each card. The list covers the medicines represented on this site and is not exhaustive; how the interaction data is compiled.
No pair records for this medicine are in the sources currently represented by Anatomy Nexus. Absence from this list does not mean no interaction exists.
Contrast or diagnostic agent profile
- Agent class
- Non-ionic iodinated contrast medium (e.g. iohexol, iopromide, iodixanol)
- Used with
- CT scan, Fluoroscopy and angiography, X-ray
- Route into the body
- Injected into a vein (or artery for angiography); sometimes swallowed or instilled into a body cavity
Same-class and related medicines
Same class: Contrast agents
Medicines that share the class of Iodinated contrast agents. They are separate medicines with their own licences, doses and interactions, not alternative names for Iodinated contrast agents.
Related medicines
Medicines often discussed alongside Iodinated contrast agents: used together, compared with it, or acting on the same problem by a different route.