Safety of Contrast Material Use in Children

Iodinated and gadolinium-based contrast materials have excellent safety profiles for use in pediatric computed tomography and MR imaging. The rate of acute adverse reactions and contrast-induced nephropathy is lower than in adults. The relationship between nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and gadolinium administration is well established and only a small number of children suffer from this debilitating disorder. The recent finding of gadolinium deposition in the brain of patients with normal renal function has renewed concerns regarding its long-term toxicity. The necessity of gadolinium-based contrast agent use in children should be considered carefully for each examination, and more stable macrocyclic agents should be the primary choice.