Practice Parameters for Diagnosing and Managing Iodinated Contrast Media
Hypersensitivity
Abstract
Immediate and non-immediate hypersensitivity reactions to iodinated
contrast media (ICM) have been reported to occur in a frequency of about
0.5-3% of patients receiving non-ionic ICM. The diagnosis and
management of these patients is controversial among guidelines published
by various national and international scientific societies, with
recommendations ranging from avoidance or premedication to drug
provocation test. This position paper aims to give recommendations for
the management of patients with ICM hypersensitivity reactions and
analyze controversies in this area. Skin tests are recommended as the
initial step for diagnosing patients with immediate and non-immediate
hypersensitivity reactions; besides, they may also help guide on
tolerability of alternatives. Drug provocation test is the
gold-standard; although, as it is a risky procedure, the decision for
performing it needs to be taken based on a risk-benefit analysis.
Another source of controversy is the role of in vitro tests for
diagnosis and pretreatment for preventing reactions.