Radiologist-designed app offers emergency reference for addressing contrast reactions
A go-to reference guide that helps to manage and mitigate contrast reactions just underwent a significant update.
Developed by Robert Maxwell, MD, a radiologist at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, ContrastRx is an app that offers detailed guidance on how to treat adverse reactions to both iodine- and gadolinium-based contrast media. Maxwell wrote the app in 2012 for iOS but recently added numerous updates and features, in addition to making it compatible with Android devices.
He developed the app so that providers, technologists, nurses and anyone else who might be involved in managing a contrast reaction would have the information they need to do so safely right in their pocket. The app covers 14 different reactions, using pictures, sound bites and videos to describe how to identify and manage a multitude of scenarios. It also includes pretreatment medication regimens, a pediatric dose calculator and self-assessment module.
"The goal of the ContrastRx app is to improve the quality of care for the patient and decrease the stress on the provider when treating a contrast reaction,” Maxwell told Radiology Business. “Just knowing I have the treatment algorithms in my pocket if I need them makes my day go better."
The update comes amid a changing regulatory landscape with respect to contrast administration. California recently amended a portion of the Radiologic Technology Act regarding the requirement for physicians to be on-site when technologists administer contrast to patients. The update eliminated the requirement for a physician to be on-site and now allows techs to perform venipuncture and conduct contrast administration under remote supervision. Having an easily accessible reference guide on hand could provide an added layer of protection in these environments.
Originally developed to support Mayo Clinic staff, the app is free for everyone. To learn more, or to download the app, click here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.