Contrast agent

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Related to Contrast agent: Contrast media, Contrast MRI

con·trast me·di·um

any internally administered substance that has a different opacity from soft tissue on radiography or computed tomography; includes barium, used to opacify parts of the gastrointestinal tract; water-soluble iodinated compounds, used to opacify blood vessels or the genitourinary tract; may refer to air occurring naturally or introduced into the body; also, paramagnetic substances used in magnetic resonance imaging.

Synonym(s): contrast agent, contrast material

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Contrast agent

Also called a contrast medium, this is usually a barium or iodine dye that is injected into the area under investigation. The dye makes the interior body parts more visible on an x-ray film.

Mentioned in: Congenital Ureter Anomalies, Diffuse Esophageal Spasm, Duodenal Obstruction, Esophageal Pouches, Gallstone Removal, Hydronephrosis, Intravenous Urography, Lymphangiography, Myelography, Nephrotoxic Injury

Patient discussion about Contrast agent

Q. Has anyone had an allergic reaction to gadolinium dye, MRI contrast agents, I have had a severe reaction. I would like to know the long term effects of this dye. And if anyone else has had or heard of problems and reactions to it. Please answer me. Thank you

A. In 1969 I almost died from the IVP dye. I had no idea I was allergic and when I awoke I was in a "recovery room." The doctor told me to always tell any physicians/paramedics etc of my allergy status regarding the dye. I now have chronic back pain, have a history of cancer in the family and the doctor wants to do a scan (including dye) but when I emphasized that I was allergic he backed off. Now I am wondering if there is anything else that can be done to test the bone (scan) without the dye. Any answers? Thanks

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References in periodicals archive ?

The contrast agent's molecular structure determines its stability and if it can be re-chelated by a given chelating agent.

The Gadolinium Controversy--An Update

The authors of another study concluded that [Gd.sup.3+]n-US-tube species are linear super paramagnetic molecular magnets with MRI efficacies 40-90 times higher than any current [Gd.sup.3+]-based contrast agent in clinical usage.

[Gd.sub.n.sup.3+]@CNTs-PEG versus Gadovist[R]: In Vitro Assay

She said: "Gadolinium contrast agents are compounds that contain a very toxic heavy metal paired with a rather untested drug with variable stability, with somewhat unknown clinical benefits.

Fears over side-effects of MRI scan chemical

Sherry, "Advances in gadolinium-based MRI contrast agent designs for monitoring biological processes in vivo," Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, vol.

Influence of Molecular Mobility on Contrast Efficiency of Branched Polyethylene Glycol Contrast Agent

The contrast agent can cause adverse respiratory reactions such as overt bronchospasm, laryngeal oedema, cardiac failure and loss of consciousness, and [8] pulmonary oedema.

Effects of Iodixanol on Respiratory Functions during Coronary Angiography and the Role of Body Composition

The iron concentration was chosen to match the recommended clinical dose of 0.56 mg of iron per kg used clinically for the SPIO contrast agent Feridex[R] (Feridex IV, Berlex Laboratories).

In Vivo 3T Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using a Biologically Specific Contrast Agent for Prostate Cancer: A Nude Mouse Model

Werneck, "Valsalva maneuver procedures in the diagnosis of right-to-left shunt by contrast-enhanced transcranial doppler using agitated saline solution with blood as a contrast agent," Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, vol.

Comparison of Different Contrast Agents in Detecting Cardiac Right-to-Left Shunt in Patients with a Patent Foramen Ovale during Contrast-Transthoracic Echocardiography

Conventional contrast agents are directly injected into the body to make some tissues or diseases more clearly visible on MRI scans.

Seeing is half the battle when developing stem cell treatments

It is the first time a non-synthetic contrast agent has been used in human magnetic resonance tomography examinations, and the results are promising.

Using Sugar to Detect Malignant Tumors

In recent years, research on the use of ferrite nanoparticles in [T.sub.2] contrast agents has shown a great potential application in MR imaging.

Cobalt zinc ferrite nanoparticles as a potential Magnetic Resonance Imaging agent: an in vitro study

Another implicit assumption of the technique of DSCMRI related to the estimation of AIF is that no or a negligible amount contrast agent penetrates the arterial wall, due to the fact that, in general, the vascular wall is considered irrelevant for the contrast mechanism in DSC-MRI.

Simulation of contrast agent transport in arteries with multilayer arterial wall: impact of arterial transmural transport on the bolus delay and dispersion

"This study, using our iodinated contrast agent, Visipaque, is significant and further proof of our commitment to our continued research in contrast media to improve patient care," said Jan Makela, General Manager, Core Imaging, GE Healthcare Life Sciences.

Head-to-Head Study Shows GE Healthcare's Visipaque (iodixanol) More Comfortable During Abdominal CT Scans