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ISSUE 3 JUNE
Letters to the Editor

Iodine allergy

  • Roger Allison, Robin Mortimer, Constance H Katelaris, William B Smith

The Editorial Executive Committee welcomes letters, which should be less than 250 words. Before a decision to publish is made, letters which refer to a published article may be sent to the author for a response. Any letter may be sent to an expert for comment. When letters are published, they are usually accompanied in the same issue by their responses or comments. The Committee screens out discourteous, inaccurate or libellous statements. The letters are sub-edited before publication. Authors are required to declare any conflicts of interest. The Committee's decision on publication is final.

 

Letter to the editor

Editor, – We would like to thank Professor Katelaris and Dr Smith for their timely article on the misleading label of iodine allergy (Aust Prescr 2009;32:125-8). This, as the authors indicate, is a marked source of anxiety for patients who need contrast media scanning.

We have also noted similar anxieties in patients who are potential candidates for the use of radioactive iodine (I-131) for the treatment of hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer.

For patients who have a history of seafood or contrast sensitivity we arrange intravenous access as a precaution. However, in over 3000 administrations of oral high-dose radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer, we have not encountered any significant allergic phenomena.

We therefore feel that patients with seafood or contrast allergy can be reassured that this will not occur with low-or high-dose radioactive iodine.

Roger Allison
Radiation Oncologist and Executive Director
Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital

Robin Mortimer AO
Senior Endocrinologist, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, and Senior Director, Office of Health and Medical Research
Queensland Health

Roger Allison

Radiation Oncologist and Executive Director, Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital

Robin Mortimer

Senior Endocrinologist, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital

Senior Director, Office of Health and Medical Research Queensland Health

Constance H Katelaris

Professor, Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University of Western Sydney and Campbelltown Hospital, Sydney

William B Smith

Specialist, Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal Adelaide Hospital