Ionic iodinated contrast media

What are Ionic iodinated contrast media?

Iodinated contrast media is a contrast media containing iodine that is used in radiography to increase the clarity of the image. Iodinated contrast media can be divided into the two groups, ionic and non-ionic, which vary in their uses, properties and toxic effects. Ionic iodinated contrast media were developed before non-ionic iodinated contrast media and usually have a high osmolality.

The ionic contrast media agents have high solubility and low viscosity but have high osmolality. The higher osmolality in comparison to the blood is known to be the most important contributing factor to allergies and adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting.

The non-ionic isotonic contrast agents represent a new class of intravascular iodinated x-ray contrast agents. They are highly hydrophilic, resulting in low chemotoxicity, are non-ionic, thereby eliminating Coulomb interactions, and are formulated in solutions iso-osmolar with the respective body fluids.

ICM are drugs containing iodine that are given to patients to enhance the ability to see blood vessels and organs on medical images such as X-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans. These images provide greater detail when necessary to help health care professionals diagnose potential problems.

Gastrografin is an ionic, monomeric contrast medium with an osmolality of I 900 mmol/kg H20 and has a strong, bitterly flavoured taste. Omnipaque is non-ionic, monomeric, with osmolality 660 mmol/kg H20 , and a nearly neutral taste.

Ionic contrast medium refers to a type of contrast agent used in medical imaging that has an ionic charge and is associated with a higher risk of adverse reactions compared to nonionic contrast agents. AI generated definition based on: Aminoff’s Neurology and General Medicine (Fifth Edition), 2014.