CT contrast agents get costlier due to Covid lockdown in Shanghai

Hospitals have found that a fluid they use to make CT scans and MRIs more readable has gotten costlier. The rates have been increased by 10% to 15% in April. For now the cost difference isn’t being transferred to the patients.

Covid lockdown in Shanghai, China, have caused a significant global shortage of intravenous contrast used in imaging procedures like enhanced X-rays, CT scans and MRIs.

Suguna Hospital Medical Director Dr Ravindra Ramaiah said, “The rates have been increased by 10% to 15% in April this year. 100 ml of 350 mg Omnipaque manufactured by GE Healthcare (a CT contrast agent) costed Rs 916 before which now costs Rs. 1,050. The difference is Rs 134.”

Fifty ml of 320 mg Visipaque, a contrast medium used for renal failure patients, used to cost Rs. 962 per bottle but now costs Rs 1,058.

GE Healthcare manufactures Iohexol injections (radiographic contrast medium) under the brand name Ominipaque in Shanghai, which reportedly suffered disruptions due to the lockdown there. The production has resumed but will reportedly take time time to ‘catch up’.

IV contrast is used in procedures where the dye helps show the anatomy. With a heart catheterisation, the contrast makes the blood light up as it passes through the heart so a physician can see blood flow.

A Bengaluru supplier of Iohexol injections requesting anonymity said, “Even if we rely on indigenous manufacturers, the raw material Iohexol comes from China, hence a lockdown there will have an impact globally. Our company has hiked the price by six per cent as that is the price we are getting it at. However, since public heart hospitals like Jayadeva are supplied contrast agents as per a contact, rates cannot be increased midway.”

Hospitals in the US are reportedly using their reserves of contrast agents and also rationing their use due to an acute shortage of the fluid.

Dr Rajpal Singh, Director and Interventional Cardiologist, Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, said, “We have no issues as of now with availability of contrast media. We use about 250 litres per month across all departments: cardiology, vascular surgery, radiology etc, and there’s not been a shortage-related hike in prices, at least in our hospital.”

Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (SJICR) in Bengaluru, the only government hospital with 15 cardiac cathlabs in Karnataka, conducts more than 40,000 cardiac cathlab procedures per annum - the highest in the country including coronary angiograms, angioplasty, stenting and pacemakers. The institute has 105 cardiologists.

Dr B C Srinivas, HOD, Cardiology, told DH, “We do at least 100 angiograms in a single day and may use 25 ml per patient depending on the procedure. We haven’t experienced a shortage yet but CT contrast agents are vital for our diagnostics.”