Antiemetic Treatment Before Oral Contrast Ingestion Does Not Prevent Nausea or Vomiting

Ingestion of oral contrast solution (diatrizoate meglumine) before abdominal computed tomography (CT) enhances visualization of intra-abdominal viscus structures but takes a substantial amount of time and is associated with nausea and vomiting. Pretreatment with antiemetic agents has been shown to prevent or lessen symptoms of nausea associated with chemotherapy or anesthesia; use in patients receiving oral contrast solution has not been studied.

In a prospective, double-blind, randomized trial, researchers randomized 106 adult emergency department patients who were undergoing contrast-enhanced abdominal CT to receive intravenous placebo, metoclopramide (10 mg), or ondansetron (4 mg) 15 minutes before ingestion of oral contrast solution. The…