Lenox Hill radiology only uses the newest and safest "non ionic" contrast available on the market. This is shown to have a much lower incidence of allergic reaction than the older "ionic" contrast. The most common side effect of the contrast includes a warm or hot "flushed" sensation during the actual injection and a "metallic" taste in the mouth, which usually lasts less than a minute or so. There is no treatment necessary for this as it is only a passing sensation.

Absolutely. We use “non-ionic” contrast, which has a much lower incidence of allergic reaction than the older “ionic” contrast.

The contrast is injected into a vein using a small needle during a specific period in the CT exam. The contrast circulates the blood stream, through the heart and arteries, capillaries and veins, to essentially “enhance” the tissue structure of your organs so they appear highlighted on the CT images for a more precise diagnosis.

Oral contrast is used to image the stomach and intestines. It is a very dilute, flavored barium solution that you drink approximately 1 hour prior to an examination. Intravenous contrast is sometimes referred to as "dye". Although colorless, it contains iodine, which makes specific organs, blood vessels, and tissues visible on x-rays for better detection of disease or injury. It is not radioactive.

Contrast medium is used to increase tissue contrast between normal and abnormal structures hence allowing better differentiation and more precise diagnosis. The intravenously injected contrast medium becomes distributed all over the tissues of the body and consequently increases their density; therefore increases the ability of these tissues to absorb and attenuate the x-ray beam and the more the tissue takes contrast medium the more they appear bright in CT.

The most common side effect is a warm sensation during the injection and a "metallic" taste in the mouth. These are only passing sensations and usually last less than a minute or so. For some patients, itching or hives (bumps on the skin) may occur and can last from several minutes to several hours after the injection. This can be treated with medication at the time of the exam or after by the referring physician.

Intravenous contrast is used in CT to help highlight blood vessels and to enhance the tissue structure of various organs such as the brain, spine, liver and kidneys. "Intravenous" means that the contrast is injected into a vein using a small needle. Typically the contrast is loaded into a power injector, which injects the CT contrast using tubing through the needle into the body during a specific period in the CT exam.

Not all CT examinations require the use of a contrast agent. When a contrast agent is required, it is because the radiologist and referring physician determine that it is necessary for diagnosis. Contrast agents are considered to be safe and side effects are uncommon. The benefits associated with the improved imaging of particular organs generally outweigh the low risk of allergic reaction.

intravenous or IV is a catheter that is introduced into a vein for the purpose of administering fluid, anesthetic medications, and other medications.

Patients having a CT scan of either their abdomen or pelvis are usually required to drink a special drink for up to 2 hours prior to their scan time. The drink, which is Barium based travels from the stomach into the remainder of the gastrointestinal tract. The CT x-ray beam is attenuated (weakened) as it passes through the organs containing the contrast, for example, the large intestine.

Our state of the art Spiral CT equipment produces a very low dose of x-ray exposure with negligible adverse effects. It is not much different than the exposure from "background environmental radiation" from the sun, air travel, television or computer screens.

Not everyone needs an injection for CT imaging. When an contrast injection is needed, a pharmaceutical contrast agent made of iodine is used. This is only done when the radiologist and/or the referring physician have determined that it is necessary for diagnostic purposes. Iodine contrast is used to make specific organs, blood vessels or tissue types "stand out" with more image contrast in the resulting picture.

Plain (without contrast) CT abdomen , bowel loops are difficult to differentiate from adjacent normal or abnormal structures because of similar density. Oral contrast media (iodine solution) is hyper dense .so once contrast solution is taken before (according to protocol) ,all bowel loops are filled with hyper dense solution. So it is easy to differentiate bowel loops from adjacent normal or abnormal structures.

Yes. The contrast takes 24 to 48 hours to completely filter out of your body. We advise patients to drink lots of water to help this process. If you are a Diabetic taking Glucophage or Metformin, you may take your medication before your exam as usual. However, you must stop taking your medication for 48 hours after your CT scan.

Contrast ratio is the ratio of luminance between the brightest white and the darkest black of a particular device or a particular environment. Projected cinema film, or a photographic reflection print, has a contrast ratio of about 80:1. Television assumes a contrast ratio, in your living room, of about 30:1. Typical office viewing conditions restrict the contrast ratio of a CRT display to about 5:1.

The risks associated with a PET/CT scan are very minimal. The quantity of radiation is low and the FDG (see below) degrades quickly so that no detectable radioactivity is present after several hours. In addition to the radioactive decomposition, the remaining FDG is eliminated from the body through urine. Family members are not at risk for exposure since greater than 60% of the radioactivity has left the body or decomposed before the patient has left the center.

The radiation dose for a brain CT scan is comparable to the dose used for dental x-rays. Because CT scans reveal the exact shape and location of soft tissues as well as bone, computed tomography is useful in diagnosing a number of conditions.

IVIG is a treatment for many immune disorders. Preliminary research suggests that it may help maintain pregnancy in women who have experienced secondary recurrent miscarriage by improving the mother’s immune response to this pregnancy. Currently, Dr. Stephenson is conducting an international trial to test whether IVIG helps promote successful pregnancies in women who have suffered secondary recurrent miscarriage.

IV is used during the labor process as a way to give you hydration, medications, and provides a route to access your venous system in an emergency.

Typically, patients are instructed to wait for 24 hours after receiving the CT contrast injection before breast feeding again. Patients may wish to pump breast milk prior to the CT exam and store it for use during this 24-hour period. Always check with the radiologist and the imaging center for their specific recommendations.

The light and dark patterns seen when observing a faceted diamond. It can be positive or negative in its optical effect. Usually caused by, but not limited to, the observer's head. Top

The CT elevations range from Waterton Canyon at nearly 6,000 feet to a peak of 13,334 feet. The average elevation is 10,000 feet.

The length of a complete CT examination varies, depending on the type of CT required. Procedures usually take between 10 and 45 minutes. Some of the more complicated CT examinations take longer than 45 minutes.

Yes, CT imaging is considered a safe examination. In general, the diagnostic benefit of a CT scan usually outweighs the risk of x-ray radiation exposure or injections of imaging contrast and use of sedatives during the scan. Patients should inform the radiologist or technologist if they have a history of allergies (especially to medications, previous iodine injections, or shellfish), diabetes, asthma, a heart condition, kidney problems, or thyroid conditions.