Effect of iodine contrast agent on biological responses of CT examination / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of iodine contrast agent on the biological responses of CT examination. Methods A total of sixty patients with suspected urinary tract disease who underwent computed tomography urography ( CTU ) examination were randomly divided into control group and experimental group. The control group was treated with routine CTU, where only CT scan was performed on the first day. CTU was added after 3 days. The test group was treated with fractional injection CTU and injected with enhanced scanning agent on the first day. Before and after CT examination, the patients′peripheral blood was collected and the number of γ-H2AX foci in lymphocytes ( mononuclear cells) was measured by immunofluorescence, and the differences of DNA damage in these two groups were observed. Results Before and after CT examination, the number ofγ-H2AX foci was 0. 06 ± 0. 02 and 1. 06 ± 0. 27 in the lymphocytes of control group,0. 06 ± 0. 03 and 1. 42 ± 0. 50 in the test group, respectively. Hence, the number ofγ-H2AX foci in the test group was increased by 38. 14%. Moreover, the change ofγ-H2AX foci in these two groups was not influenced by gender, but correlated with ages( between≤50 years old and>50 years old) in control group (t= -4. 76, P<0. 05) and in test group(t= -8. 16, P <0. 05). Conclusions The iodine contrast agent can increase DNA damage of CT examination, and therefore the use of iodine contrast agent in CT should be reduced as much as possible in clinical work.