Interventional Radiologist Questions Radiologist

How long does dye stay in your system after a CT scan?

I will have a CT scan with dye. How long does dye stay in your system after a CT scan?

4 Answers

The body removes CT scan intravenous contrast material naturally via kidneys. The kidneys excrete the contrast through glomerular filtration and tubular secretion. More than 95% of the contrast is excreted via urine within 24 hours. You might be required to take a blood test (eGFR) prior to CT IV contrast administration to determine if your kidneys are working properly. For eGFR > 45 there is no increased risk of kidney damage from CT IV contrast media.
The dye is usually excreted by your kidneys in about 6-8 hours
You can look it up online for a better explanation, but I believe the contrast is excreted from your system from your urine within 24-36 hours after the contrast CT scan. You just have to drink a lot of water for a day or so and that should flush right through as long as your kidneys are working adequately. You will not see anything in the toilet as it all comes out clear when you urinate it out. Hope that helps.
Not long at all. The contrast is cleared by the kidneys and should be gone within one day.