Effect of antenatal iodinated contrast agent on neonatal thyroid function.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Neonatal Medicine
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Pulmonary embolism in pregnancy requires accurate diagnosis.
• Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) with iodinated contrast media is a common diagnostic tool.
• The safety of in utero exposure to iodinated contrast media on neonatal thyroid function requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of maternal exposure to iodinated contrast media during CTPA on neonatal thyroid function.
• To compare thyroid function in neonates exposed in utero to iodinated contrast media with a control group.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 115 pregnant patients investigated for pulmonary embolism.
• Group A: 73 pregnant patients who underwent CTPA with iodinated contrast.
• Group B (control): 42 pregnant patients who underwent perfusion imaging only.
• Comparison of neonatal thyroid function tests between the two groups.

Main Results:

• All neonatal thyroid function tests were within normal limits for both groups.
• No statistically significant difference in thyroid function was observed between neonates exposed to iodinated contrast media in utero and the control group.

Conclusions:

• In utero exposure to iodinated contrast media via maternal CTPA does not appear to adversely affect neonatal thyroid function.
• Results should be interpreted with caution due to the small patient cohort size.