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Allergies Blog

By Daniel More, MD, About.com Guide to Allergies

IV Dye Allergy

Thursday July 12, 2007
Have you experienced symptoms of itching, flushing, hives, nausea or shortness of breath after receiving iv contrast dye for a radiological study? If so, then you may have an iv dye (also called radiocontrast media, or RCM) allergy. RCM allergy is quite common, and reactions can be severe, and even life-threatening. Reactions to RCM can be prevented with the use of newer iv dye agents and medications given prior to receiving the dye.

A long-held myth of RCM allergy is that there is an association with shellfish allergy. This is a still believed by many people, even some physicians. RCM allergy is not really an allergic process at all, and probably not related to the iodine content. Shellfish allergy to due to proteins, not to iodine content. While it is possible to have reactions to both shellfish and RCM, there is no relationship between the two.

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Comments

October 25, 2008 at 10:18 pm
(1) Lori Fuls says:

I had a CT scan on Friday, Can the Dye make you body sore ?

July 14, 2009 at 10:41 pm
(2) Katie says:

I had an IV Contrast dye injected in me. The reaction I got is nothing that anyone else mentioned. I had gotten REALLY dizzy, then my body went totally numb, about 5 mins after that I felt pins and needles ( Like when you foot falls a sleep) Then I got dizzy again, then I ichy all over I devloped swelling behind my ear. It was really scary, the nurse said to just go home and rest!!! I think something was very wrong!! Be careful of this stuff!!

September 14, 2009 at 1:58 pm
(3) marcella says:

I TOLD THE DOCTOR THAT I AM ALLERGIES TO DYE I DONT KNOW WICH ONE BUT ONLY THE DYE IN FOOD IND MEDICATION AND IF YOU R GOING TO GIVIE ME SOMETHING WITH DYE IN IT THAT GIVE ME SOMETHING BECAUSE IM ALLERGIES HE WENT IT NOT THE SAME WELL I HAD A MRI WITH GAD AND WHEN I CAME OUT OF THE MACHINE I STAR TO FEEL FUNNNY AND HAD S O B AND THE BACK OF MY HEAD WAS GIVING ME BAD PAIN AND AND I HAD THE SHAKES ON THE RIGHT SIDE WELL AFTER ALL THAT THEY DID GVIVE ME SOLUMEDROL BENEDRYL AND BREATHTREAMENT AND I GOT BETTER DOCTOR NEED TO LIST TO PATIENTS AND FAMILY BECAUSE IF THE NURSE HAD NOT ACT FAST AND GOT ME SOME HELP I CAUSE HAVE DIE OR SOMETHING

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