Readability of informed consent forms for use with iodinated contrast media

Informed consent forms used before intravenous administration of contrast media by both private practice (Pennsylvania Blue Shield) and academic (Association of University Radiologists) physician groups were analyzed to evaluate for readability and content. Most of the 160 consent forms required at least a high school education to be understood; 10 (6%) required a college education. Consent forms from academic institutions tended to be longer and contain more problems with sentence structure than those from private practice. Consent forms from both groups tended to have a weak, wordy writing style. Although most of the consent forms discussed at least some of the potential adverse reactions from intravenous contrast media, 37 (23%) made no mention of any potential adverse reaction. Indeed, 25 (16%) made no mention of contrast media at all. Only 12 (8%) consent forms included a discussion of nonionic contrast media. The authors provide sample consent forms that cover the common risks of ionic and nonionic contrast media and describe the availability of nonionic contrast media; these forms are understandable by an individual reading at only an eighth-grade level.