Is There a Level of Serum Creatinine above Which a Patient Should Not Receive an Iodinated Contrast Agent?
The short answer is no. In all patients, regardless of whether renal function is normal, the potential risks must be balanced against the possible benefits. A serum creatinine level of 2.0 mg/dL, or 3.0 or 1.8, does not by itself indicate what the glomerular filtration rate is, although it is clearly reduced, nor does it accurately predict the risk of increased morbidity or mortality after injection of iodinated contrast media. From a practical point of view, the radiologist should first calculate the creatinine clearance and then determine whether the relevant diagnostic question can be as adequately answered with another examination that does not require injection of an iodinated contrast agent.
