CT scan with OR without contrast

[dani2776]

I was wondering if it is safe to have a CT scan with contrast when you have thryoid disease?  My endo suggested I have one if the pain in my thyroid continues and I am reluctant due to the contrast.  Is it ok to use it or should I have one without?

[nissah46]

I think the recommendation not to use contrast is if you are soon going to be getting a radioactive iodine scan. I think the contrast interferes with the scan, and you may have to delay the scan if you were to use contrast.  
Trish

[Smilerdeb]

MRIs and CT scans do not use radioactive dyes, but a non-radioactive
contrast media, usually gadolinium. (Gadolinium has no iodine, so it
causes few allergies.)
While SestaMIBI, used for stress testing, thyroid scans and mammograms,  is radioactive.

To have a computed tomography scan (CT scan) done, you may need to have an injection of "contrast" or "dye." This liquid is visible on X-ray pictures or CT scans, so once it is injected it will cause your blood vessels to be visible to the radiologists. This makes your anatomy very clear. "Contrast" also can highlight areas with inflammation because blood flows more generously to inflamed areas.
The reason that contrast dye is visible on X-rays is because it contains highly concentrated iodine.

Some reactions to contrast dye are allergic, but the trigger for the allergy has not been precisely identified. Doctors have noticed that older dye preparations that have a high concentration of iodine are more likely to trigger a reaction. Contrast dye has been adjusted in a variety of ways in order to make it less likely to cause a reaction.
Iodine has not been removed from contrast dye, but the dye is now prepared so that the iodine is chemically "hidden" from your immune system. Your immune system does not detect the iodine easily since each iodine particle is packaged inside a complex salt.
The newer dye is called "non-ionic" or "low-osmolar" contrast.

You can ask your doctor to use one of the newer dyes, which while are more expensive, are far less allergenic.
You may also be prescribed an antihistamine of cortisone before the procedure to lessen the chance of an allergic reaction.


I am allergic to the Iodine based dye Pertechium so for my thyroid tests they used the newer one and I had no problems.
I had the same reaction as you did with previous tracers and felt like I was going to die!

Please ask your Doc for the 'low-osmolar' contrast.

Hope that helps.

[Totie]

I think everyone is differnt. I had ct scan with contrast (graves/hyper/goiter) and it did not bother me one bit.

It just depends on the make up of your immune system I guess.

[dani2776]

I am not exactly sure of the specifics.  All he told me was that if the pain, pressure and difficulty swallowing continued we could do a CT scan to look at the thyroid area.  He said it would show a lot more than the ultrasound did which showed severe inflammation due to thyroiditis.  I have such a choking sensation as well as pressure/pain that radiates up to the ears bilateraly.  I know some people have allergic reactions to the dye but I thought I heard or read somewhere that it is countradicted to use if you have an underlying thyroid issue.   Who knows maybe in one of my many brain fog hypo moments I made it up ;-)

[laura1967]

What are you having the CT done for?
The contrast affects everyone differently. I have hashi's and the contrast i had done recently made me break out in rash and instant headache, so I know i had a reaction and will never have it again. It also affected my thyroid for a week....it swelled.
:)