Contrast Media and Urinary System Flashcards
The tissue density and composition of the organs in the abdomen are very ________ as well as the thickness of these organs.
similar
The liver, pancreas, spleen, stomach, kidneys, and bowel will display a low amount of
subject contrast
is the radiographic contrast caused by the difference in the composition of the patient’s body tissues.
Subject contrast
The organs of the digestive system, urinary system and cerebrovascular system have similar densities and atomic numbers and will therefore absorb nearly the same amount of radiation and therefore have
Low subject contrast
Are diagnostic agents that are introduced into the body orifices or injected into the vascular system, joints, and ducts to enhance subject contrast in anatomic areas where low subject contrast exists
Contrast media
The ability of the contrast media used in radiographic procedures to enhance subject contrast depends greatly on
The atomic number of the element used in a particular medium and
The concentration of atoms of the element per volume of the medium
Contrast media are generally classified as
negative or positive contrast agents.
Negative contrast agents are (radiolucent or radiopaque?)
radiolucent
Positive contrast agents are (radiolucent or radiopaque?)
radiopaque
The specialty contrast agent for MRI is:
IV contrast agent gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (gadolinium-DTPA).
Metalic and magnetic agent that affects signal intensity.
The specialty contrast agent for Ultrasound is:
Gas-filled microbubbles that affect the sound wave to enhance ultrasound contrast
Physical properties of negative contrast agents:
Composed of elements with low atomic numbers Administered as: Gas (air) Carbon dioxide Tablets, crystals, soda water
Why is oxygen rarely used alone as a contrast agent?
Cells absorb oxygen quickly.
What is the most common negative contrast agent?
Room air.
A negative contrast agent may be combined with a positive contrast agent to produce a
double contrast effect.
In a double contrast barium enema, barium is the ______ contrast agent and air is the ______ contrast agent.
positive, negative.
An example of a discontinued exam using negative contrast media is:
Pneumoencephalography
The uses of negative contrast media are limited because
they may not provide sufficient contrast of a structure when used alone.
Why must negative contrast agents never be injected intravenously?
serious or fatal consequences can result
Three characteristics of positive contrast agents:
Are radiopaque
Composed of elements with high atomic numbers
Absorbs more x-rays and appears bright on a radiograph
Positive contrast agents absorbs about ___ times more x-rays than bone and ___ times more x-rays as soft tissues.
3 and 5.
Two examples of positive contrast agents:
- Barium (Z# 56)
- Iodine (Z#53)
Each of these elements has a much higher atomic number and mass density than does soft tissue (Z# 7.4)
What is the atomic number of Gadolinium?
64
Two popular types of positive contrast media:
- Barium Sulfate
2. Iodinated Compounds:
Barium sulfate is a heavy metal element with the atomic number:
56
Barium sulfate is an inert powder composed of crystals that is used for
examination of the digestive system
What is barium sulfate comprised of?
The element barium is combined with oxygen and sulfate to form the inert compound barium sulfate.
What is the chemical formula of barium sulfate?
BaSO4
Barium sulfate is commonly referred to as:
Barium
A mixture of barium sulfate and water forms a
colloidal suspension, NOT a solution.
Barium sulfate never dissolves in water.
Depending on the environment of the barium sulfate, such as acid within the stomach, the powder has a tendency to clump and come out of suspension. This is called
FLOCCULATION
Stabilizing agents, such as _____ or _____ are used to prevent flocculation.
sodium carbonate, sodium citrate.
Barium flocculates in the presence of _____, producing fine flocculation in the proximal loops where _________
mucus, the pH is low.
Definition of enteral:
within, or by way of, the intestine or gastrointestinal tract.
Barium sulfate is used for examination of the entire ________ ________, and can be a relatively thin or thick mixture.
alimentary canal.
What are some forms barium sulfate comes in?
Barium sulfate can come in paste, liquid, powder and tablet form & can be purchased in premixed liquid form or in powder form.
Because of its inability to be absorbed by the body, barium sulfate cannot be used
intravascularly or intrathecally.
Definition of Intrathecal:
– introduced into or occurring in the space under the arachnoid membrane of the spinal cord or brain.
When is barium contraindicated?
in the case of a suspected perforation in the alimentary canal (organs of digestion) as barium is not absorbed naturally by the body.
What contrast agent must be used when patient presents with a history of suspected perforation?
a water-soluble iodine contrast agent is recommended (brand name examples: Gastrografin, Gastroview or Hypaque)
If barium enters the peritoneal or pelvic cavity, it can cause
peritonitis and must be surgically removed.
What are the adverse reactions to barium sulfate?
Obstruction/constipation Extravasation Vaginal Rupture Hypervolemia Allergic Reactions aspiration of barium by sedated or mentally handicapped patients Barium in appendix
Why should patients be instructed to drink plenty of fluids after receiving barium sulfate?
All barium transits the colon. One function of the colon is to absorb water from waste. Barium sulfate residue in the colon can dry and cause patient to become constipated.
Extravasation definition:
leakage from a vessel into the tissue.
A complication related to administration of barium during a BE is
perforation of the colon with extravasation into the abdominal cavity
Extravasation can lead to
peritonitis.
Who are at increased risk of a colon perforation during a BE?
Elderly patients or those receiving long term steroid medication are at increased risk for colon perforation because of atrophic tissue. Also at risk are patients with diverticulitis or ulcerative colitis. These diseases result in inflammation and degradation of the intestine.
Patients who have had a recent biopsy of the colon should not have a BE until
the area heals.
Barium tip or retention catheter can be a source of colon perforation. How can this risk be reduced?
The balloon should not be overinflated.
Vaginal Rupture- is a rare complication of barium sulfate administration. It is due to
misplacement of the catheter before lower GI examinations.
How can vaginal rupture be avoided?
Female patients should be asked whether they feel the enema tip in the rectum.
Hypervolemia definition:
a blood disorder consisting of an increase in the volume of circulating blood
Hypervolemia can occur when:
water from the cleansing enema or barium enema is shifted from the colon into the circulatory system with a resulting increase in blood volume
Consequences of hypervolemia are:
pulmonary edema, seizures, coma or even death.
Table salt is an ingredient that is added to the barium sulfate solution by the manufacturer to:
reduce the possibility of hypervolemia.
Allergic reactions to barium sulfate are possible but are usually due to:
the preservatives in the barium sulfate preparation OR to the latex in the barium enema catheters.
Why should sedated patients not undergo an upper GI exam?
Swallowing reflex diminished; increases chances of aspiration resulting in barium pneumonia
Mentally handicapped and persons with altered mental status due to age or disease is also at risk for aspiration
What type of complications can occur from barium in the appendix?
No directly related complications have resulted from this occurrence.
What are the two types of iodinated compounds?
Oil based and water-soluble.
Iodine’s atomic number is:
53
Iodine is almost as radiopaque as:
barium.
Advances in imaging techniques and improvement in contrast agent technology have rendered oil-based contrast agents nearly obsolete. They may still be used infrequently for
lymphangiograms and bronchograms
Use of oil based contrast media in radiography is relatively
limited.
In the past, oil-based iodinated contrast media were routinely used for myelograms, bronchograms, hysterosalpingograms, sialograms, and dacryocystograms, but have been replaced by
water-soluble iodinated contrast media
Because oil-based contrast media are not miscible with blood,
it should NEVER be injected intravenously or intraarterially.
Oil based contrast media are made from
fatty acids
An ethyl group takes the place of the alcohol chemical group usually found in fatty acids. These chemical manipulations change the fatty acids into
esters.
Iodine atoms are added at certain areas of the ester molecules. The result is
iodinated ethyl esters of fatty acids
When the esters are exposed to light, heat, or air,
they decompose.
Any oil based contrast media that has darkened in color from the original pale amber color:
should not be used. The dark color indicates that the media has decomposed.
Plastic syringes should not be used for injection of oil-based iodine contrast media because
toxic substances from the plastic can dissolve into the media.
The main disadvantage of oil-based iodine contrast media is
that they persist in the body because they are insoluble in water
Adverse Reactions to oil-based iodinated contrast media:
Any iodine-containing contrast agent may provoke an anaphylactoid (allergic-like) reaction although this is rare.
Anaphylactic shock (anaphylaxis) is
the result of an exaggerated hypersensitivity reaction (allergic reaction) to an antigen that was previously encountered by the body’s immune system.
When Anaphylactic shock occurs:
histamine and bradykinin are released, causing widespread vasodilation, which results in peripheral pooling of blood.
This response is accompanied by contraction of nonvascular smooth muscles, particularly the smooth muscles of the respiratory tract.
Anaphylactic shock can cause:
shock, respiratory failure, and death within minutes after exposure to the allergen.
Usually, the more abrupt the onset of anaphylaxis,
the more severe the reaction.
The most common causes of anaphylaxis are __________________. The path of entry may be ___________________.
medications, iodinated contrast agents, and insect venoms. through the skin, respiratory tract, or gastrointestinal tract, or through injection.
Water soluble contrast media may be described as either
Ionic iodinated contrast media or nonionic iodinated contrast media
Water soluble contrast media has relatively low
toxicity.
Water soluble contrast media generally absorbed by the body and excreted by the kidneys within:
24 hours of intravascular administration
Intrathecal versus intravenous:
Intrathecal is introduced into or occurring in the space under the arachnoid membrane of the spinal cord or brain. Intravenous is introduced within a vein.
The labels of “ionic” or “nonionic” refer to
the structural composition of the molecules contained in the contrast agent not whether or not it has iodine in it.
The primary difference between the ionic and nonionic solutions rests with
the physiologic interaction within the body.
Ionic media dissociate into two molecular particles in
water or blood plasma.
IONIC Iodine Contrast Media are ionic because:
one particle has a negative charge called an anion, and the other particle has a positive charge called a cation.
The anion part of the ionic iodine contrast media molecule begins with a six-carbon bonded hexagon called a
benzene ring.
A carbon atom occupies each corner of the benzene ring but is not usually drawn because
the molecular diagram would look cluttered.
Every other carbon bond site of the benzene ring is bonded to an
iodine atom, which makes the contrast medium tri-iodinated.
There are 3 remaining carbon bond sites that are not bonded to an iodine atom.
Of those 3 remaining sites, one is occupied by
a negatively charged acid group.
It is at this acid group site in the molecule of ionic iodine contrast media that
the anion and cation separate on injection
The 2 carbon bond sites on the ionic iodine contrast molecule—R2 and R3—are occupied by
chemical structures that increase the solubility or the excretion rate of the contrast by the body
It is the two carbon bond sites (R2 and R3) that result in the different result in the different classes of ionic media:
Diatrizoate—with the trade name hypaque
Metrizoate—with the trade name isopaque
Iothalamate—with the trade name conray
The CATION (positively charged) part of the ionic iodine contrast molecule are salts. The salts most commonly used are
derivatives of sodium, calcium, and meglumine (methylglucamine)
Once injected, the CATION will dissociate or separate from the parent ANION and
create 2 separate ions in the blood.
The separation of the cation from the anion creates an increase in the blood plasma osmolality called
a hypertonic condition
Osmolality definition:
refers to the concentration or number of particles (anions and cations) in the solution per kilogram of water and is directly related to the occurrence of adverse reactions.
A contrast agent with high osmolality has
an increased number of particles and more osmoles in the solution.
An increase in osmolality can cause
vein spasm, pain at the injection site and fluid retention.
Most importantly, ionic contrast agents may increase the probability that a patient will
experience a contrast media reaction.
Increasing the number of ions in the plasma can
disrupt homeostasis and create a reaction
There is LESS chance of interruption of homeostasis if osmolality of the injected contrast
closely resembles that of BLOOD PLASMA which is about 300 osmol/kg.
On average, the osmolality of ionic iodinated contrast agents ranges from
1000 to 2400 osmol/kg
The osmolality of nonionic iodinated contrast agents is around
750 osmol/kg which is much closer to blood plasma.
most water based ionic iodinated contrast media are referred to as
high osmolality contrast media or HOCM
Water based iodinated nonionic contrast media are referred to as
low osmolality contrast media (LOCM) and are better tolerated by the body
Research indicates that patients are less likely to have contrast media reactions OR more likely to have less severe reactions or side effects when ________ are used.
nonionic contrast agents
LOCM are __ times more expensive than HOCM.
20
Why was nonionic iodinated contrast media developed?
to reduce the side effects of the ionic iodine contrast media.
Nonionic iodinated contrast media molecules ____________ so that hypertonicity is avoided.
molecules do not dissociate or separate in solution
The molecular structure of NONIONIC Iodine Contrast Media is a tri-iodinated benzene ring that
does not carry an acid group.
NONIONIC Iodine Contrast Media (LOCM):
Many __________ surround the benzene rings
oxygen-hydrogen hydroxyl groups
The hydroxyl groups in nonionic iodine contrast media increase
the solubility of the media in blood plasma
Both ionic and nonionic iodine media have physiologic effects on the body, but IONIC agents are _________ and therefore have shown greater effects and adverse reactions.
higher osmolality contrast agents
Viscosity of water based iodinated contrast media is influenced by
the concentration and size of the molecule and affects the injectability of the media.
Heating the media to body temperature reduces _______ and facilitates the ability for rapid injection.
viscosity
When plasma water is displaced by contrast particles, water from body cells
move into the vascular system (through osmosis)
Water from body cells moving into the vascular system results in:
in hypervolemia and blood vessel dilation, with pain and discomfort
hypervolemia definition:
a blood disorder consisting of an increase in the volume of circulating blood
With the use of water soluble iodinated contrast media:
Blood pressure may decrease because of ________, or it may increase because of _________
vessel dilation, hypervolemia and the effects of hormones in the kidneys.
Allergic reactions to water-soluble iodinated contrast media resemble allergic reactions to
foreign substances, such as pollen grains.
Concerning water soluble iodinated contrast media, reactions of typical allergic patients may be:
minor such as urticaria (hives)
Reactions such as wheezing and edema in the throat and lungs with accompanying bronchospasm and nausea and vomitting are thought to be caused by
the release of histamine from certain cells found in the lungs, stomach, and lining of blood vessels.*
Sometimes pre-medication with steroids and antihistamines can reduce or eliminate
allergic effects of water soluble iodinated contrast media.
Injection of contrast media results in dilation and then constriction of the renal arteries. The end result is
diminished blood supply to the kidneys.
Osmotic effects are also presumed to cause an increase in the amount of
molecular substances that cannot be reabsorbed by the renal tubules.
This results in an increased secretion of urine with dehydration.
BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine (waste product of metabolism) levels are indicators of kidney function and is a good indicator for
possible contrast media-induced renal effects.
Normal creatinine levels for the adult are
0.6 to 1.5 mg/dl (mg/100ml)
BUN levels should range between
8 to 25 mg/100 ml
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) – This lab test checks
the metabolic function of the liver and excretory function of the kidneys.
Abnormal BUN values may indicate
CHF, renal disease, renal failure, myocardial infarction, dehydration
Serum creatinine—This lab test checks
renal excretory function.
Abnormal values of serum creatinine may indicate
dysfunction of the kidneys and/or dehydration.
IV fluid given before and during procedures can
reduce the severity of renal effects in those with renal disease or diabetes and older patients.
The urinary system eliminates _______ and maintains ________ .
organic wastes, the water and electrolyte balance of the body.
The urinary system consists of:
2 kidneys
2 ureters
1 urinary bladder
1 urethra
Kidneys and ureters are ______ structures.
retroperitoneal
Kidneys lie
on either side of the vertebral column in the most posterior part of the abdominal cavity
The latin designation for kidney is ____ and renal is a common adjective referring to ______.
ren, kidney.
Right kidney is more inferior than the left kidney because of
the liver.
On the upper medial border of each kidney is the
suprarenal (adrenal) gland
The suprarenal glands (adrenal glands) are part of the ______ system and have no functional relationship with the kidneys
endocrine
Each kidney connects to the urinary bladder by a
ureter
The bladder _______ until it can be eliminated.
stores urine
Urine is eliminated from the body via
the urethra
Most of each ureter lies ______ to its respective kidney
anterior
The ureters follow the natural curve of
the vertebral column curving forward following the lumbar lordotic curve and then curves backward on entering the pelvis.
The ureters enter the _______ aspect of the bladder.
posterolateral
The urethra is
the connection of the bladder to the exterior
The urethra exits from the body inferior to
the pubic symphysis
Retroperitoneal structures of the urinary system:
Kidneys and ureters
Infraperitoneal structures of the urinary system:
Distal ureters
Urinary bladder
Urethra