Share:

When you get an MRI or CT scan, your radiologist will specify whether or not you’ll need  contrast. Hudson Valley Imaging of Monroe, NY, uses this material, also commonly referred to by patients and staff as “dye,” for diagnostic imaging when an organ should be highlighted against the surrounding area. If you are having a test soon and want to know if contrast would benefit you, explore the guide below for more information. 

Contrast for MRIs & CT Scans

MRI 

You may receive a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan for a variety of reasons, including brain imaging or suspected musculoskeletal damage . During an MRI, patients lie inside a special tube. This device uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce images of the body.

While the scan displays internal tissues clearly, radiologists may use contrast to highlight certain organs or vessels in your body. If your physician recommends contrast, you will take it ahead of the procedure in an oral, rectal, or intravenous form. Regardless of the way you take it, the dye is safe and naturally absorbed by the body. 

CT Scan 

Also called a CAT scan, computerized tomography (CT) scans are recommended for a variety of reasons, particularly in imaging trauma.  The process combines an X-ray machine with computer imaging to identify abnormal conditions or guide procedures. If your radiologist needs a better look inside your body, a dye may be given orally or intravenously to “light up” organs or spinal fluid. 

Contrast materials also help with biopsies. Evaluations for kidney, thyroid, and pancreatic cancer are often completed with dye. In some cases, patients will receive a combination of a CT scan and PET scan at once. If you need contrast dye, your radiologist will describe the reason and how you should take it. If you have any questions, talk to your radiology team before your diagnostic imaging appointment. They can help ensure you take the dye properly and explain what you can expect after your scan. 

Whether or not you need contrast dye for your scan, diagnostic imaging may be critically important in helping you and your physician make treatment decisions. To make an appointment with an experienced radiologist for an MRI or a CT scan, call Hudson Valley Imaging in Monroe, NY, at (845) 220-­2222. For information about their services and physicians, visit their website

tracking