Children
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• 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. Usu-
ally, a diluted mixture of iodine and water is used as
an oral agent. Different substances can be added to
this mixture 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 reconstructions are needed. You need to be
aware of all the contraindications of any of the con-
trast agents you use. Please refer to the specific ver-
idor’s recommednations.
• 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 completed.
The use of CARE Bolus is recommended 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.
Note: These injector guidelines are based on an
antecubital injection site. These guidelines may need
to be adjusted if the site is more peripheral.
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