Discover with us the most crucial details on the harm that dye rays do to the kidneys in this post.
Radiation dyes are a class of compounds used to increase the precision of contrast in imaging. Particular radiation dyes have been produced for each imaging technique, but despite the medical benefits of these dyes, patients may have side effects.
This page explains how dye radiation affects the kidneys:
Radiation damage to the kidneys
One of the organs that dye rays and contrast materials have the greatest impact on is the kidney, and two of the most significant effects of dye rays on the kidneys are contrast-induced nephropathy and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.
1. Nephropathy caused by x-rays
Nephropathy resulting from the x-ray dye is defined as a disorder in kidney function resulting from the use of some contrast dyes for radiation, and it occurred in about 2% of those who receive these dyes, and nephropathy causes a sharp decrease in kidney function within 48-72 hours, and symptoms of kidney disease may include What follows:
- feeling tired
- Poor appetite.
- swelling in the ankles and feet.
- Puffiness around the eyes.
- Skin dryness and itching.
Although nephropathy can be treated and recovered from, in certain circumstances it can result in more severe renal issues and potential cardiovascular implications.
2. Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis
After being exposed to gadolinium-containing dyes used in magnetic resonance imaging, patients with chronic renal failure develop renal systemic fibrosis, a disease affecting the skin and other organs.
The clearance of contrast dyes is slower in patients with chronic renal failure than it is in healthy individuals, and it is thought that this delay is one of the primary causes of renal systemic fibrosis, which can appear within 24 hours and last up to three months.
Symptoms of renal systemic fibrosis include the following:
- itchy skin
- The skin may have black or red patches.
- Joint stiffness.
- muscle weakness
Factors that increase the risk of dye radiation damage to the kidneys
The following are some x-ray damage risk factors:
- Chronic renal impairment.
- diabetes and chronic renal disease already present.
- Age. Nephropathy has been found to be more common in elderly people. Advance age is associated with increased vascular stiffness leading to a decreased response to vasodilators.
- Decreased intravascular effective blood volume.
- the time and quantity of contrast material administration, as difficulties are more likely to occur with high and repeated doses received within 72 hours.
- concurrent administration of drugs such diuretics, NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers.
How can treatment of dye radiation damage to the kidneys?
The kidney damage caused by dye rays is not specifically treatable, although the following steps can be taken:
- Maintaining blood volume.
- Administer N-acetyl cysteine.
- Preventive hemofiltration and hemodialysis .
How can radiation damage to the kidneys be prevented?
It is possible to prevent dye ray kidney damage by doing the following:
- Before the dye is administered, the patient must be examined.
- A doctor should be reviewed if the patient suffers from itching or red spots on the skin, swelling in the joints, or severe pain in the bones. This is due to the possibility that these symptoms are the result of oversensitivity.
- Before taking the contrast substance, the patient should hydrate well.
- On rare occasions, the antioxidant drug acetylcysteine may be administered to patients at high risk.
- When possible, eliminate contrast dye to prevent nephropathy; nevertheless, if patients absolutely require contrast dye, a non-ionic agent may be administered at the lowest effective dose.