Thyroid Monitoring After Intravascular Iodinated Contrast Media in Infants and Children Through 3 Years of Age

Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2026076640. doi: 10.1542/peds.2026-076640.

Abstract

In March 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a drug safety communication (DSC) recommending monitoring of thyroid function in children up to 3 years of age who receive intravascular injection of iodinated contrast media (IV ICM) for medical imaging. In response, a group of pediatric and imaging experts convened to review the current scientific evidence on thyroid dysfunction after IV ICM and to provide recommendations on thyroid testing and management after IV ICM administration in infants and children. There are considerable gaps in knowledge related to the risk of thyroid dysfunction in young children exposed to IV ICM, and we strongly recommend that high-quality prospective studies be proposed and funded to clarify the incidence, risk modifiers, natural history, and outcomes of thyroid dysfunction after IV ICM exposure in this population.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Contrast Media* / administration & dosage
  • Contrast Media* / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Iodine* / administration & dosage
  • Iodine* / adverse effects
  • Thyroid Diseases* / chemically induced
  • Thyroid Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Thyroid Function Tests*
  • Thyroid Gland* / drug effects

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Iodine