Scan Query

[fairgo45]

I was supposed to have a scan at a private clinic but when i told them I was allergic to iodine they said I must have it in hospital because it was too risky. Does anyone know why?

[BobD Volunteer]

The contrast drug injected for many scans contains iodine I believe.

[fairgo45 in reply to BobD]

I've had many Angiograms Bob admittedly in hospital but not a clinic I never knew iodine was able to cause problems that might need hospital care that's a new one me

[bantam12 in reply to fairgo45]

If you had contrast before without a problem you should be ok but private clinics and hospitals won’t risk anything as they often don’t have emergency facilities to cope.

[fairgo45 in reply to bantam12]

Yes I'm beginning to see that thanks for telling me

[Kaz747]

My uncle had a bad reaction to it a few years ago. He is also alergic to shellfish. Aparently, if you are allergic to shellfish doctors are wary about contrast dye.

[fairgo45 in reply to Kaz747]

What bad reaction did your uncle have?

[Kaz747 in reply to fairgo45]

Anaphylaxis so it was a good job he was in the hospital

[fairgo45 in reply to Kaz747]

I'm not allergic to shell fish but better to be safe than sorry

[opal11uk]

drug used contains Iodine

[Ppiman]

A severe allergic or anaphylactic reaction is so rapid as to require the kind of immediate emergency resuscitation that a private a clinic would not have available.

My daughter-in-law is an NHS nurse and she tells me they quite regularly have to treat patients rushed in from a local private hospital.

Steve

[fairgo45 in reply to Ppiman]

Yes thank you seems a good reason to have it done in hospital

[Ppiman in reply to fairgo45]

Sorry for typos. A bad back this week is making life a struggle!

Steve

[Omniscient1]

Anaphylaxis is terrible, but not all allergies go that far, presumably they asked that?

[fairgo45 in reply to Omniscient1]

I'm hoping it won't happen but they didn't ask at the clinic I thought I would mention it all that info is in my medical notes

[Linkj]

I had a foot operation 60 years ago and suffered nasty burns on my foot from iodine, in those days they mixed it themselves and with hindsight it was probably too strong. I have always said that I am allergic to iodine and avoided it topically in surgery. I have had breast cancer and they needed to use iodine in my scans, never had a problem.

[Sleepyzz]

With any true allergy there is a risk of anaphylaxis even if you haven’t had such a bad reaction before so they would want you to be at a hospital that could respond to such a reaction.

[fairgo45 in reply to Sleepyzz]

Hospital it is then thanks everyone for your advice

[Hershman]

I would be interested to know how you found out you had an iodine allergy - three years ago I had scan in a private hospital and when they injected the dye I felt a definite flutter in my chest - no breathing problems. I told the technician and he asked if I could swallow and I did and the flutter went away and I had the scan. This was two years before I was diagnosed with AF. Now I am concerned about having another dye injection in case I am allergic to iodine - I had never had a dye injection before although I have had iodine on a wound etc. I have heard there is an alternative dye without iodine they can use so may investigate that if I need another scan.

[fairgo45 in reply to Hershman]

Mmm I'll have to investigate an alternative thanks

[philologus]

I has an iodine based contrast dye a few years ago and I was accidentally overdosed. It caused me to have hyperthyroidism for about three months.

[fairgo45 in reply to philologus]

That's interesting as mine is a 4D Sesembi scan for hyperparathyroidism

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

NZDER MATESS.

Any operation in a private hospital has little support.

My last operation under ACC was done in Northshore Hospital as Dr Eva Fong stated that I would have more SUPPORT done in a Public Hospital. March 2022.

And so I did 2 anaesthetists and 2 doctors Mrs Fong to use the surgical instrument and other to guide.

One wonders what sort of scan?

I'm trying to think what scan would use iodine?

Some scans require a drip of a colour like the thick blue which was put through before my thyroidectomy. But I had 2 saline drips from 5am put through before BLUE at 11am for operation at 12 midday.

I had 2 anaesthetists then. AF and suffered a stroke with AF with a new diagnosis of thyroid cancer Feb 2020.

What sort of scan?

cheers Joy. 74. (NZ)

[fairgo45 in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

I'm having a 4D Sesembi Scan for hunting out the exact location of parathyroid glands after a diognosis of hyperparathyroidism

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to fairgo45]

Hi

When I was diagnosed with ? shadow on thyroid. I had a biopsy. Now removed I have a yearly thyroid neck scan.

After thyroidectomy it has been a follow up with radio active iodine.

I said no thanks. Low risk with papillary cancer removed.

Now it is the patient's say to have this procedure follow up.

I have heard so many stories about having the thyroid killed by radio active iodine and the detrimental results.

Do take care. Opt for a surgical removal if it needs to come out.

My surgeon used the blue dye to define the connections and some get in the way. He removed 12 lymphs on right 2 were found infected. I was lucky cause about to go central Do read ATLAS OF HEAD AND NECK by Gary Claymore... My library found it in a University Library.

Mr Gary is top surgeon USA and my surgeon and incidentally I stumbled over him use his guidance.

I keep my TSH at 1.0-2.0 @ 125mg Synthroid daily.

I'm not up on the parathyroid but its under the thyroid. All very interesting stuff.

I had hyperthyroid which caused AF which caused the stroke in 2019.

Take care and read up in everything.

cheers JOY. 74. (NZ)

[fairgo45 in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

It's our choice at the end of the day so well done you for doing what you thought was right for youI'll have a look at that book you mentioned thanks.

My hyperparathyroidism is four little glands behind the thyroid.

I never knew that they were problematic till my doctor ran calcium and PTH tests after i broje my wrist,it is probably the reason I had kidney stones, atrial fibrillation, gall stones ,osteopenia ,and bone pain I'm hoping the operation will spare me from anything else.

Fingers crossed for both of us

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to fairgo45]

Hi

Looking again it could be GARY CLAYMAN not more!

When they do my neck scan screwing up exterior skin this way and that, the lass beams over the area and checks the pics on screen.

They say completely empty space!

Perhaps I'll ask about the parathyroid because it was never diseased or removed.

The thyroid is an amazing organ and now I haven't got mine. No substitute for hormones except for synthetic thyroxine. Folks taking it for many years. Before that (100 years?) I would die due to the hormones not present which run the bodies' functions. Amazing.

Best wishes that you are sorted.

So can trouble with your parathyroid cause AF as well?

cheri JOY. 74. (NZ)

[fairgo45]

There are different views on this but definitely causes arrhythmias

[Outtheresinger]

I had a scan using a contrast dye containing iodine and had anaphylaxis very scary. This was 40 years ago but recently I had to have a heart scan with contrast dye and the hospital took it very seriously. They injected me with anti histamine before the procedure and monitored me very carefully throughout I was not allowed to wear a mask so they could see my face! There were quite a few medics assigned to be present in case of having to resuscitate me. They told me the formulation of the dye had been improved but they didn’t want to take any risks. Well nothing happened and I was absolutely fine but was glad they were prepared because anaphylaxis definitely was very frightening. Incidentally I do have quite a strong allergy to certain types of seafood crab in particular. I hope your scan goes off without a hitch - good luck!

[fairgo45]

Thanks for that info a bit scary but I hope it goes OK for me as well,I will ask about it before they inject me