Web review: Contrast media in radiology and imaging

Abstract

Few web-based sites related to contrast media in radiology and imaging, available at the moment, are reviewed below. Introduction to Intravenous Radiographic Contrast is a concise summary of the subject by Romell Dhadha. Featured as a part of the Department of Radiology Short Clerkship: Lectures at University of Iowa, the material is available at http://www.radiology.uiowa.edu/Radshortclerkship/RadShortClkship/LectureNotes/Dhada.htm. A Simple Guide to the Basics of Contrast Media is available in the form of Guide notes at http://www.e-radiography.net/contrast_media/contrast_media_introduction.htm. The material includes iodinated intravascular contrast agents, barium sulfate, computerized tomography (CT) contrast agents, biliary contrast agents and reactions, allergic emergencies. From eMedicine, comprehensive educative material on radiographic iodinated contrast media is obtainable at http://www.emedicine.com/radio/byname/contrast-medium-reactions-recognition-and-treatment.htm. The webportal Chest Xray.com deals concisely with radiology contrast at http://www.chestx-ray.com/Practice/Contrast.html. The following sections are covered: general, non-ionic vs ionic, risk factors, severity of reactions, renal toxicity, screening creatinine and treatment. Incidentally, the portal chest Xray.com at http://www.chestx-ray.com/ covers areas related to research, education, practice and resources. Contrast Media in Diagnostic Radiology from the Textbook of Radiology at http://www.medcyclopaedia.com/library/radiology/chapter07.aspx is an up-to-date feature from Medcyclopaedia™. Medcyclopaedia™ is a “unique combination of a scientific library and a handy toolbox on the internet.” In addition, the site features the complete online edition of The Encyclopaedia of Medical Imaging, the complete online edition of A Global Textbook of Radiology, GE Healthcare's Expanded Medical Imaging Glossary, clinical cases for training purposes and a complete e-learning solution in normal imaging anatomy. A Symposium on Ultrasound Contrast for Radiological Diagnosis titled Bubbles in Radiology - The State of the Art is available at http://www.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca/bubble/. The site requires a mandatory registration. Additionally, ‘A Handbook of Contrast Echocardiography’ authored by Harald Becher and Peter N Burns is available at http://www.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca/EchoHandbook/. Within this, there is an Interactive Glossary of Contrast Ultrasound at http://www.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca/EchoHandbook/bookindex.htm. Controversies and Consensus in Imaging and Interventions is a journal for medical imaging professionals, focusing on current issues in radiology, imaging and interventional radiology/cardiology and CT radiology. This website, sponsored by an educational grant from GE Healthcare, has a section on contrast media that is available at http://www.c2i2.org/contrast_media.asp. An educative supplement on Issues in Contrast and CT Angiography with Multislice CT is featured in Applied Radiology (Mar 2002), accessible at http://www.appliedradiology.com/backissues/issue.asp?ID=71, after a compulsory registration. The material covers important topics such as optimizing contrast use in multislice CT, fast CT in neurological imaging: contrast issues, contrast multiplies cardiac CT applications, CTA of extremities: new approaches to scanning, contrast use, new contrast administration protocols: safety considerations. A panel discussion is also available at the end. Guidelines and manuals on the use of contrast media in radiology are issued periodically from reputed professional bodies. Currently available comprehensive references include American College of Radiology Contrast Manual on Contrast Media version 6/2008, which is available at http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/contrast_manual.aspx. ACR Practice Guideline for the Use of Intravascular Contrast Media, which is accessible at http://www.acr.org/s_acr/bin.asp?CID=541andDID=12241andDOC=FILE.PDF. European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) Guidelines on Contrast Media, available from http://www.esur.org/fileadmin/Guidelines/ESUR_2007_Guideline_6_Kern_Ubersicht.pdf. Royal College of Radiology Standards for Iodinated Intravascular Contrast Agent Administration to Adult Patient, available from http://www.rcr.ac.uk/docs/radiology/pdf/IVcontrastPrintFinal.pdf. Review Articles/Citations on Contrast media in Radiology: There are numerous articles on contrast media in radiology available from various journals. From these, a handy ‘must read’ list of review articles on this subject, published in recent times and available online, is given below in Table 1. Table 1 Review articles/citations on contrast media in radiology