
Kenneth U Ekechukwu M.D.
Interventional Radiologist | Vascular & Interventional Radiology
1225 HARLEM AVE FOREST PARK IL, 60130About
Dr. Kenneth U. Ekechukwu is an interventional radiologist and internist practicing in Chicago, IL. Dr. Ekechukwu specializes in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. Interventional radiologists use X-Rays, ultrasound, MRI and other advanced imaging techniques to diagnose and treat diseases. Many conditions that once required surgery are now less risky, less painful and cause fewer or no days in the hospital when treated by an interventional radiologist.
Education and Training
University of Alabama MPH 2000
Univ of Ibadan, Coll of Med, Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria 1984
Board Certification
Internal MedicineAmerican Board of Internal MedicineABIM
RadiologyAmerican Board of RadiologyABR
Provider Details

Kenneth U Ekechukwu M.D.'s Expert Contributions
What if I'm allergic to contrast?
This scenario is common and many people go about in life labeled as allergic to radiocontrast (dye) without verifying if they truly have such allergy. (Radiocontrasts or dye contain high concentrations of iodine which, when it mixes with blood in the body and imaged with x-rays, makes blood and blood vessels easy to identify. Imaging with x-rays can be with fluoroscopy or CT-scan.) Because a form of allergy to dye can be fatal, patients and healthcare providers are sometimes hypervigilant and characterize any event that occurs during exposure to dye as an allergic reaction, a kind of Chicken Little syndrome, if you will. First, let us clarify the definitions of dye allergy. Broadly, there two forms: anaphylactic reaction and anaphylactoid reaction. Notice that the two terms resemble each other, but the anaphylactic reaction is the potentially deadly reaction. It is what we call in medical parlance an immediate hypersensitivity reaction, actually, a protective reaction gone awry. Because the individual was exposed to certain chemicals or chemical structures in the past, recognized by their body as foreign, certain cells loaded with reactive substrates are produced by the body and their cell membranes equipped to recognize this foreign chemical in the future. As soon as the individual is re-exposed to the foreign agent, these cells release their contents and produce systemic reactions that tighten smooth muscles around air ways, cause mucosal swelling in the throat and the airways, produce extensive hives and itching, and, importantly, cause profound drop in the blood pressure. Patients may then wheeze, be unable to breathe, have swollen tongues, itch all over, and have catastrophic drop in their blood pressure. If immediate medical care is unavailable or delayed, the victim may expire. Treatment consists of securing the airways by intubation, shoring up the blood pressure with crystalloid infusions, and administering subcutaneous of parentereal epinephrine and, sometimes, a steroid. Response is usually dramatic, especially to epinephrine. Such patients must never be re-exposed to the substance for life, if known. Anaphylactoid reaction is different. The "oid" means "resembles". It is an idiosyncratic reaction, meaning peculiar to an individual and typically presents as an itch without the melodrama of anaphylaxis. It is not usually associated with death and can be prevented by premedicating an individual with diphenhydramine (Benadryl), an anti-histamine and prednisolone (a steroid). This approach may not be universally protective, but does blunt or even prevent anaphylactoid reactions. Institutions and individuals vary in the dose and scheduling of these medications for expected exposures to radiocontrast. I give my patients Benadryl 50 mg and prednisolone 50 mg, both by mouth 13 hours and 1 hour, respectively, before the time of their procedure. Sometimes, I shore-up this with intravenous methylprednisolone (Solu Medrol) before the procedure. Sadly, this reaction can be delayed and happen when the individual has left the scene of exposure. It is, therefore, not uncommon for healthcare providers to observe people suspected to have such reactions overnight in monitored settings, when exposed to an agent suspicious agents. Now to answer the question posed. Our friend must revisit the event and narrate it to a discerning provider as well as they can to determine if the itch was or was not real. If it was minor, unaccompanied by the fanfare of anaphylactic reaction, they may receive radiocontrast after premeditation and be observed overnight in an hospital. If nothing happens, clearly, they return to the pool of the normal and can have contrast-enhanced studies, especially when such are vital to their well-being. If they are unprepared for such "experiment", then their studies may be performed with the agent used for contrast studies in MRI (gadolinium) or carbon dioxide, depending on the state of their kidneys, the expertise and sophistication of the facility doing the study, and the part of the body being imaged; we avoid the use of carbon dioxide for studies above the diaphragm, and gadolinium in patients with impaired renal function of moderate-to-severe degree. Problem is that these agents do not yield images of comparable quality as those done with radiocontrast. READ MORE
Areas of expertise and specialization
Professional Memberships
- American College of Physicians
- American College of Radiologists
- Society of Interventional Radiologists
- Radiological Society of North America
Kenneth U Ekechukwu M.D.'s Practice location
Kenneth U Ekechukwu M.D.'s reviews
Write ReviewPatient Experience with Dr. Ekechukwu
Recommended Articles
- Foods to Eat with High Vitamin D
What is vitamin D?Vitamin D is different than other types of vitamins since it is a fat-soluble vitamin. The reason it is different is because the human body can make the most of this vitamin as per the need with exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is known to act as a pro-hormone, since it has an...
- Treatments for Head Lice
Your doctor will probably recommend over-the-counter drugs aimed at killing lice and nymphs. These drugs might not kill recently hatched eggs. Therefore, accurately-timed send treatments are often necessary to terminate nymphs immediately after being laid but before they’re fully grown. Medical...
- Is Insomnia Curable?
Insomnia is the condition where one cannot sleep or spends a lot of time in bed before sleeping. The only positive thing linked with this disorder is the fact that insomnia is curable. The common causes of insomnia include stress that comes about from school or work, as well as because of health...
- The Health Benefits of Papaya
Papaya is one of the highly popular fruits available in all parts of world; it is equally liked by people of all age groups. The fruit is available in the market all year round. They are always in season, because the papaya plant's cultivation cycle is not an annual one. The ripened fruit is...
- Chronic Inflammation May Enhance Sustained Delivery of New Muscular Dystrophy Therapy
The Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disorder that is accompanied by symptoms of progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by the absence of dystrophin, a protein that is responsible for keeping muscles cells intact, and accounts for one of the nine...
- Superfoods: Are They Healthy
According to nutrition experts, superfood is a coined marketing term used to refer to miracle foods that can help cure a variety of ailments due to their overall nutrient density (1). This marketing term is specifically used to sell products and food trends (2). But are these superfoods really...
Nearby Providers
- James C. Carr MD737 N Michigan Ave Chicago Illinois 60611
- Ketan N. Amin MD2525 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago IL 60616
- Stanley Kim MD25 N Winfield Rd Winfield IL 60190
- Maan Sami El khadra MD6415 N California Ave Chicago IL 60645
- Dr. Peter Joseph Egofske M.D.1901 W Harrison St Chicago IL 60612
- Marc Borge MD2160 S First Ave Maywood IL 60153
Nearest Hospitals
LORETTO HOSPITALl
645 SOUTH CENTRAL AVE CHICAGO IL 60644LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTERl
2160 S 1ST AVENUE MAYWOOD IL 60153