There are dangers in the use of either barium sulphate suspensions or the conventional hypertonic water soluble contrast media in the gastrointestinal tract of "at risk" babies and children. These dangers can be avoided by the use of low osmolality water soluble (LOWS) contrast media. This paper reports the satisfactory use of three such contrast media, ioxaglate (Hexabrix), iohexol (Omnipaque) and iopamidol (Niopam) in 115 examinations of the gastrointestinal tracts of 89 babies and children. Morbidity from the inhalation or extravasation of contrast medium was negligible. It is proposed that LOWS contrast media should be used more widely in the gastro-intestinal investigation of all "at risk" babies and children.
A barium suspension, iohexol, iopamidol and ioxaglate which were diluted with tapwater and 0.9% NaCl and dextrose saline (4% and 0.18%) were made into aliquots of 10 ml and stored at 4 degrees C, room temperature and 37 degrees C for 8 weeks. Regular handling and bacterial cultures were performed. These studies confirmed that environmental organisms do contaminate these solutions and that they also support viable organisms, but do not become significantly colonized at room temperature or 4 degrees C. The solutions should be stored at room temperature or at 4 degrees C. The diluted barium solution was the contrast medium least contaminated and if it is not contra-indicated for other reasons should be used in preference to low osmolality water soluble contrast media on the basis of its cost, radiological contrast and low microbial contamination rate.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.