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The proper personnel and equipment must also
be readily available at your disposal in the event of
a problem.
6. Oral and rectal contrast administration: Depending
on the reason for the exam/status of the patient, oral
contrast may or may not be given to these patients.
In general, oral contrast is recommended to opacify
the intestinal tract, as unopacified bowel can have
the appearance of abdominal fluid or mass effect. Oral,
as well as rectal contrast may be required. Usually, a
diluted mixture of iodine and water is used as an oral
agent. Different substances can be added to this mix-
ture to help reduce the bitter taste and make it more
pleasing to the child (apple juice, fruit drink mixes are
just a few of these). Barium may of course be used
in some cases as well. Negative contrast agents such
as water are becoming more popular for delineation
of stomach or bowel wall borders, or when 3D recon-
structions are needed. The user needs to be aware of
all the contraindications of any of the contrast agents
they are using. It is recommended to refer to the spe-
cific vendors recommendations regarding this.
7. I.V. contrast administration: In general, 1-2 ml per
kg of body weight should be applied, however, since
the scanning can be completed in just a few seconds,
please keep in mind that the total injection time should
not be longer than the sum of start delay time and the
scan time – do not inject contrast after the scanning is
finished.
It is recommended to use CARE Bolus in order to
achieve optimal contrast enhancement.
Both start delay time and injection rate are exam-/
patient-dependent. I.V. injection with a power injector
is recommended for all scans whenever possible.
Some guidelines to follow with respect to flow rate are
noted in the chart below.
Children