Well, if you have idiopathic neuropathy, I'd consider them.

Some people may be able to handle those foreign contrast media, and others not.

For example some people get kidney damage from gadolinium
toxicity:
http://www.levinsimeskaisergornick.c...m-effects.html

Someone just posted here about testing high for this in a tox screen:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post739113-60.html

Iodinated contrast utilized with CT and conventional angiography can cause renal dysfunction. It can really impair renal function if its already reduced.

Gadolinium does not cause renal dysfunction. However, if renal function is already reduced that is when you have to worry about NSF, as discussed in Mrs Ds post.

I would think those who have a mysterious illness like idiopathic PN should consider environmental issues. Don't assume invasive medical procedures are totally safe, and of course drugs are not either.

This is one of the only reasons PN comes in handy. Because my walking/standing is so impaired, the cardiologist said we could skip the contrast during my last stress test. At the time I worried that the results would be ambiguous because of this.

Guess I'm rather relieved that I wasn't subjected to iffy IV stuff.

Heart scans and cancer:
 

Here is an alarming news item:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20110208...riskstudyfinds

Remember the full body CAT scans, Oprah had on her show...that she even had done? Not doing those anymore either!

While some people may need some imaging, the constant need for invasive testing is getting a bit over done today IMO.

One of our teaching hospitals here used to advertise on TV the heart/calcium scan for it "predictive" value. They are not doing them anymore either at that rate.

I personally think the colonoscopy tests are overdone too.

We should all be sensible about this new technology, the radiation output and the contrast media used!