Patients Knowledge of the Intravenous Contrast Materials and Their Risks: A Cross-sectional Survey

The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge about the intravenous contrast materials (IVCMs) and theirrisks in patients in an Anatolian city. The study included 156 outpatients who applied for radiographic studies requiring the use ofIVCMs. The data were obtained by face-to-face interviews before the radiographic examination. The questionnaire was designedspecifically for this study and the respondent was given a total score of 100 points for all correct answers. PatientsÕ informationabout the IVCMs, their risks, and their role in the diagnosis of some diseases were investigated with this survey. ANOVA, t-test andchi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Most of the patients were found not to have sufficient information about thepotential risks and side effects of IVCMs. The mean score was 54.80 ± 12.60 (ranging between 20 and 85) out of 100. The patientswho knew about the contrast materials and had higher education levels got higher scores (P = 0.000). Scores were significantlyhigher in patients who had had previous procedures with intravenous contrast material injections compared to the others who hadnever received contrast materials before (P = 0.021). Although the patients with higher education levels were shown to have moreknowledge about the contrast materials compared to with lower education levels, most of the respondents still were not sufficientlyaware of the risks and side effects of the contrast materials. These results indicate that all patients should be informed about theside effects and potential risks of IVCM injections before the procedure