Iodixanol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Iodixanol is a radiographic contrast agent sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Radiographic Contrast Agent
- Available as
- Injectable
- Sold as
- 2 products — Visipaque 270 and Visipaque 320
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
How iodixanol is dosed
From the FDA label for Visipaque 270 (application NDA020351). Other iodixanol products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Individualize the combination of volume and concentration of VISIPAQUE Injection considering age, body weight, size of the vessel, rate of blood flow within the vessel, and other applicable factors. ( 2.1 , 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 ) For CT of the head and body, VISIPAQUE may be used with an automated contrast injection system or contrast media management system cleared for use with VISIPAQUE. ( 2.5 ) For the adult patients, the maximum recommended total dose of iodine is 80 grams. ( 2.1 ) Patients should be adequately hydrated prior to and following the intravascular administration of iodinated contrast agents. ( 2.1 , 5.3 ) See full prescribing information for complete dosing and administration information. ( 2 ) 2.1 Important Dosage and Administration Instructions VISIPAQUE is for intravascular use only [see Boxed Warning , Contraindications (4) , and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Use sterile technique for all handling and administration of VISIPAQUE. Do not use if tamper-evident ring is broken or missing. Warm VISIPAQUE and administer at body or room temperature. Inspect VISIPAQUE for particulate matter or discoloration before administration, whenever solution and container permit. Do not administer if VISIPAQUE contains particulate matter or is discolored. Do not mix VISIPAQUE with, or inject in intravenous lines containing, other drugs or total nutritional admixtures. Use the…
Iodixanol side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Risks Associated with Inadvertent Intrathecal Administration [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Contrast-Induced Kidney Injury [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Cardiovascular Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Thromboembolic Events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Thyroid Dysfunction in Pediatric Patients 0 to 3 Years of Age [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.11) ] Most common adverse reactions (incidence greater than 0.5%) in adult patients after VISIPAQUE injection: Discomfort, warmth, pain; Cardiovascular: angina. Gastrointestinal: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting. Nervous System: agitation, anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, dizziness, headache, migraine, unusual skin sensations, sensory disturbance, fainting, sensation of spinning. Skin: itchy rash, severe itching, hives. Special Senses: Smell, taste, and vision alteration. ( 6.1 ) Pediatric patients experienced similar adverse reactions. ( 6.3 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact GE HealthCare at 1-800-654-0118 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying…
Who shouldn’t take iodixanol
VISIPAQUE is contraindicated for intrathecal use [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. Not indicated for intrathecal use. ( 4 )
Iodixanol drug interactions
7.1 Drug-Drug Interactions Metformin In patients with renal impairment, metformin can cause lactic acidosis. Iodinated contrast agents appear to increase the risk of metformin-induced lactic acidosis, possibly as a result of worsening renal function. Stop metformin at the time of, or prior to, VISIPAQUE administration in patients with an eGFR between 30 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ; in patients with a history of hepatic impairment, alcoholism or heart failure; or in patients who will be administered intra-arterial iodinated contrast. Re-evaluate eGFR 48 hours after the imaging procedure, and reinstitute metformin only after renal function is stable. Radioactive Iodine Administration of iodinated contrast agents may interfere with thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine (I-131 and I-123) and decrease therapeutic and diagnostic efficacy in patients with carcinoma of the thyroid. The decrease in efficacy lasts for 6 to 8 weeks. Beta-adrenergic Blocking Agents The use of beta-adrenergic blocking agents lowers the threshold for and increases the severity of contrast reactions, and reduces the responsiveness of treatment of hypersensitivity reactions with epinephrine. Because of the risk of hypersensitivity reactions, use caution when administering VISIPAQUE to patients taking beta-blockers. Oral Cholecystographic Contrast Agents Renal toxicity has been reported in patients with liver dysfunction who were given an oral cholecystographic agent followed by intravascular iodinated contrast agents. Postpone the administration of VISIPAQUE in patients who have recently received an oral cholecystographic contrast agent. 7.2 Drug-Laboratory Test Interactions Effect on Thyroid Tests The results of protein bound iodine and radioactive iodine uptake studies, which depend on iodine estimation, will not accurately reflect thyroid function for at least 16 days following administration of iodinated contrast agents. However, thyroid function tests which do not depend on iodine estimations (e.g., T3 resin uptake and total or free thyroxine T4 assays) are not affected. Effect on Urine Tests As reported with other contrast agents, VISIPAQUE may produce a false-positive result for protein in the urine using urine dip tests. However, the Coomassie blue method has been shown to give accurate results for the measurement of urine protein in the presence of VISIPAQUE. In addition, care should be used in interpreting the results of urine specific gravity measurements in the presence of high levels of VISIPAQUE and other contrast agents in the urine. Refractometry or urine osmolality may be substituted.
Every iodixanol product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → |
How long iodixanol keeps
No iodixanol label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does iodixanol expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsIodixanol and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for iodixanol: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadIntravenous iodinated contrast media are poorly excreted into breastmilk and poorly absorbed orally so they are not likely to reach the bloodstream of the infant or cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. One report of very small amounts of iodine from iodixanol in breastmilk supports this generalization. Guidelines developed by several professional organizations state that breastfeeding need not be disrupted after a nursing mother receives an iodine-containing contrast medium.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised November 30, 2022. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about iodixanol
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 468 reports naming iodixanol, and the FDA flagged 87% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- anaphylactic reaction57 reports
- pruritus48 reports
- rash45 reports
- hypotension41 reports
- contrast media reaction36 reports
- dyspnoea32 reports
- acute kidney injury27 reports
- angioedema27 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean iodixanol caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is iodixanol?
Visipaque 270 (Iodixanol) is a radiographic contrast agent.
What kind of drug is iodixanol?
The FDA classifies iodixanol as a radiographic contrast agent. Radiographic contrast agents are imaging dyes, not treatments. They contain dense elements like iodine that absorb X-rays strongly, so the blood vessels or organs they fill show up bright and clearly outlined on an X-ray or CT scan. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take iodixanol with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run iodixanol against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is iodixanol sold under?
We track 2 iodixanol-containing products in the U.S.: Visipaque 270 and Visipaque 320. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does iodixanol come in?
Across the brands we track, iodixanol is currently marketed as injectable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic iodixanol?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled iodixanol product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Iodixanol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/iodixanol
- MLA
- “Iodixanol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/iodixanol.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for iodixanol on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.