Imaging Contrast

Contrast agents are injected into patients to help enhance images to make it easier for radiologists distinguish specific areas of the body from surrounding tissues. The most commonly used agents are iodinated contrast dye for computed tomography (CT), interventional cath lab angiography,  RF fluoroscopy, and in surgical OR procedures. MRI scans typically use gadolinium-based contrast agents. Ultrasound and echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) imaging use contrast agents composed of microscopic bubbles to enhance images that otherwise would be suboptimal.

Outpatient study finds CT contrast is generally safe, but risk of adverse events varies with the seasons

A three-institution study of 473,482 patients found the risk of an adverse event following CT contrast increases in the summer and fall.

March 15, 2024

FDA approves cardiac ultrasound enhancement drug for pediatric patients

The safety and efficacy for using Definity was backed by three successful clinical studies.

March 4, 2024
A medical professional trained to manage contrast reactions should be on-site at any imaging facilities doing contrast studies to maintain patient safety, according to a an updated statement from the American College of Radiology. The ACR has released the latest edition of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria, which includes 221 diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology topics with more than 1,050 clinical variants covering 2,900 clinical scenarios. #ACR #AUC #appropriateuse

ACR updates requirements for on-site staff overseeing contrast administration

A clinician trained to manage reactions should be on-site at any imaging facilities doing contrast studies to maintain patient safety.

March 1, 2024
AI Imaging Contrast Development

National Science Foundation issues $1M grant to eliminate imaging contrast with AI

Case Western Reserve University researchers hope to make the diagnosis of cancer safer and less expensive.

January 4, 2024
Video of David Hur discussing how to overcome technical challenges in cardiac CT, which he presented on in sessions at SCCT 2023.

Overcoming technical challenges in cardiac CT

David Hur, MD, director of structural heart disease/interventional imaging at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and an assistant professor of medicine at Yale, explains the technical challenges encountered in cardiac computed tomography (CT) and how to overcome them.

October 17, 2023
liver cancer

Targeted training reduces certain radiologist errors when reading contrast-enhanced CT

Physicians can sometimes overlook low-contrast lesions, such as hepatic metastases or pancreatic adenocarcinoma, on computed tomography scans. 

August 18, 2023

How the 2022 contrast media shortage impacted stroke care

A team of specialists tracked CT utilization before, during and after the 2022 shortage, sharing its findings in the American Journal of Neuroradiology.

August 16, 2023
gadolinium, GBCAs

Generic substitute for gadolinium-based contrast agent Gadavist hits the market

The contrast agent, simply called Gadobutrol Injection, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is now available in the United States.

August 9, 2023

Around the web

The newly approved AI models are designed to improve the detection of pulmonary embolisms and strokes in patients who undergo CT scans.

"I see, at least for the next decade, this being a SPECT and PET world, not one or the other," explained Tim Bateman, MD.

The FDA-approved technology developed by HeartFlow can predict a patient's long-term risk of target vessel failure as well as more invasive treatments performed inside a cath lab. 

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