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.

Contaminated CT contrast blamed for 8 patient hospitalizations
After several radiology patients were sickened following an injection of iodinated contrast, the hospital where the incidents occurred has revealed the culprit.
Lowest dose gadolinium-based contrast agent to date inches closer to FDA approval
Gadoquatrane is now set to go through the regulatory review process on its trek to earning full FDA approval.
Woman dies following severe allergic reaction to CT contrast
The 22-year-old patient was undergoing a computed tomography exam with contrast due to her history of kidney stones.
Fluorescent contrast agent noninvasively identifies common skin cancer
When used topically, the agent penetrates the skin and generates a fluorescent signal under the guidance of a fluorescent confocal microscope.
Bacteria-based contrast agent offers 'substantial improvements' for tumor border delineation during surgery
Essentially, the agent places a bright neon sign on the entirety of tumors and their borders, and it does so autonomously.

CCTA with patient-specific versus fixed post-trigger delay

Patient-specific versus fixed post-trigger delay: Which offers superior CCTA image quality?

New research compares peak enhancement timing of a patient-specific post-trigger delay and a fixed delay during CCTA.

Iodine contrast being loaded into a contrast injector in preparation for a cardiac CT scan at Duly Health and Care in Lisle, Illinois. The contrast shortage is causing some healthcare organizations to postpone exams and procedures and ration contrast supplies. Photo by Dave Fornell

How to manage patients in need of contrast-enhanced imaging following an allergic-like reaction

Up to one-third or more of patients who experience moderate or severe allergic-like reactions to ICM must have their imaging protocols revised when subsequent exams involving contrast are requested.

GBCA dose drops significantly in breast MRI thanks to machine learning

The use of synthetic images could reduce the amount of gadolinium-based contrast agents needed for breast MRI examinations, according to new data published this week in Radiology.

GE HealthCare's new MRI contrast agent advances to clinical trial

Experts are hopeful that the first-of-its-kind injectable manganese-based macrocyclic agent will offer a suitable alternative to GBCAs, as it can be more efficiently eliminated from the body.

Expert left 'astounded' by gadolinium discovery

New data out of the University of New Mexico suggest that the imaging agent’s physiologic reach may exceed what was previously believed.

New contrast agent is officially available for use in hospitals and clinics

A Feb. 14 announcement from Bracco indicates that the recently FDA-approved, gadolinium-based contrast agent VUEWAY, also known as gadopiclenol, is officially being used for patients undergoing MR imaging.

Photon counting cuts CTA contrast dosage 25%

Not only does the low-volume contrast protocol preserve supplies, it also protects patients who might be vulnerable to adverse reactions and/or side effects from contrast use.

Contrast-enhanced mammography uses iodine contrast injected into a patient and mammography system to image contrast uptake or areas of increased vascular activity, which is typical of cancers. This can help image through dense breast tissue to find cancers that are otherwise masked by dense breast tissue.

Radiologists should be aware of these clinical factors when reading CEM scans

The degree of background parenchymal enhancement on CEM during certain days of a premenopausal woman's cycle could impact how radiologists interpret the exam.

Imaging Contrast

Contaminated CT contrast blamed for 8 patient hospitalizations

Lowest dose gadolinium-based contrast agent to date inches closer to FDA approval

Woman dies following severe allergic reaction to CT contrast

Fluorescent contrast agent noninvasively identifies common skin cancer

Bacteria-based contrast agent offers 'substantial improvements' for tumor border delineation during surgery