Intravenous glucagon: does it optimize evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract on helical CT?
Author(s): Eisenstat RS, Gold BM, Goffner L, Fruauff AA, Pollack S, Katz DS Affiliation(s): Department of Radiology, Winthrop-University Hospital, 259 First Street Mineola, NY 11501, USA. Publication date & source: 2002-11, Clin Imaging., 26(6):408-13. Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial Forty outpatients were randomized into two groups of 20. Twenty patients received 1 mg of intravenous glucagon and the other 20 did not. Three radiologists evaluated the bowel using a qualitative score and mean scores for each bowel level were compared. A different radiologist measured the maximal diameter of bowel at seven levels. There were no significant differences in qualitative or quantitative data for the two groups. Intravenous glucagon is therefore not routinely recommended for helical CT of the abdomen.
