Iohexol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Iohexol is a radiographic contrast agent sold in the U.S. under 10 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 · Solution
- Sold as
- 10 products — Omnipaque 12, Omnipaque 140 and Omnipaque 180, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
How iohexol is dosed
From the FDA label for Omnipaque 12 (application NDA018956). Other iohexol products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
For each imaging procedure, specific dosage forms, concentrations, and presentations are recommended. Individualize the concentration and volume according to the specific dosing tables and accounting for factors such as age, body weight, and condition of the patient, and the equipment and imaging technique used. ( 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 , 2.5 , 2.6 , 2.7 , 2.8 , 2.9 ) See full prescribing information for complete dosing and administration information. ( 2 ) 2.1 Important Dosage and Administration Instructions Specific dosage forms, concentrations, and presentations of OMNIPAQUE are recommended for each type of imaging procedure [see Dosage and Administration (2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 , 2.5 , 2.6 , 2.7 , 2.8 , 2.9) and Warnings and Precautions (5.1 , 5.2) ]. Individualize the volume, strength, and rate of administration of OMNIPAQUE injection according to the specific dosing tables [see Dosage and Administration (2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 , 2.5 , 2.6 , 2.7 , 2.8 , 2.9) ] . Consider factors such as age, body weight, vessel size, blood flow rate within the vessel, anticipated pathology, degree and extent of opacification required, structures or area to be examined, disease processes affecting the patient, and equipment and technique to be employed. Hydrate patients before and after administration of OMNIPAQUE injection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ]. Use aseptic technique for all handling and…
Iohexol side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Risks Associated with Intrathecal Administration of OMNIPAQUE Injection 140 mg Iodine/mL and 350 mg Iodine/mL [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Risks Associated with Parenteral Administration of OMNIPAQUE Oral Solution [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Acute Kidney Injury [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Cardiovascular Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Thromboembolic Events [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] Thyroid Dysfunction in Pediatric Patients 0 to 3 Years of Age [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.12) ] Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 1%) in adult patients Intrathecal: Headaches, pain including backache, neckache, stiffness and neuralgia, nausea, vomiting, dizziness Intra-arterial or intravenous: Pain, vision abnormalities (including blurred vision and photomas), headache, taste perversion, arrhythmias including premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and premature atrial contractions (PACs), angina/chest pain, nausea Oral: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence, headache Body Cavity: Pain, swelling, heat sensation ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact GE…
Who shouldn’t take iohexol
OMNIPAQUE for hysterosalpingography is contraindicated during pregnancy or suspected pregnancy, menstruation or when menstruation is imminent, within 6 months after termination of pregnancy, within 30 days after conization or curettage, when signs of infection are present in any portion of the genital tract including the external genitalia, and when reproductive tract neoplasia is known or suspected because of the risk of peritoneal spread of neoplasm. Hysterosalpingography during pregnancy (or suspected pregnancy), menstruation (or when menstruation is imminent), within 6 months after termination of pregnancy, within 30 days after conization or curettage, when signs of infection are present in any portion of the genital tract, including the external genitalia, and when reproductive tract neoplasia is known or suspected. ( 4 )
Iohexol 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, OMNIPAQUE 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 OMNIPAQUE may interfere with thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine (I-131 and I-123) and decrease therapeutic and diagnostic efficacy. Avoid thyroid therapy or testing for up to 6 weeks post OMNIPAQUE. 7.2 Drug-Laboratory Test Interactions Protein-Bound Iodine Test Iodinated contrast agents, including OMNIPAQUE, will temporarily increase protein-bound iodine in blood. Do not perform protein-bound iodine test for at least 16 days following administration of OMNIPAQUE. However, thyroid function tests that do not depend on iodine estimation, e.g., T 3 resin uptake or direct thyroxine assays, are not affected.
Every iohexol product we track (10)
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 → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 4 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 5 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 6 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 7 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 8 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 9 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 10 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Solution | No data | — | View → |
Iohexol recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
How long iohexol keeps
The date on a sealed pack is not the only one: some iohexol labels start a second clock once the product is opened or mixed, as short as 8 hours.
Does iohexol expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsIohexol and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for iohexol: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadLimited information indicates that maternal doses of iohexol up to 45.3 grams (containing 21 grams of iodine) produce low levels in milk. In addition, because iohexol is poorly absorbed orally, it is not likely to reach the bloodstream of the infant or cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. The manufacturer states that withholding breastfeeding for 10 hours after administration to minimize the exposure of the infant; however, 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 April 15, 2026. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about iohexol
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 1,121 reports naming iohexol, 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:
- acute kidney injury84 reports
- dyspnoea84 reports
- anaphylactic reaction64 reports
- contrast media reaction62 reports
- nausea60 reports
- pruritus57 reports
- hypotension51 reports
- pyrexia51 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean iohexol 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 iohexol?
Omnipaque 12 (Iohexol) is a radiographic contrast agent.
What kind of drug is iohexol?
The FDA classifies iohexol 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 iohexol 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 iohexol 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 iohexol sold under?
We track 10 iohexol-containing products in the U.S.: Omnipaque 12, Omnipaque 140, Omnipaque 180, Omnipaque 210, Omnipaque 240, Omnipaque 300, Omnipaque 350 and Omnipaque 70, and 2 more. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does iohexol come in?
Across the brands we track, iohexol is currently marketed as injectable and solution, 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 iohexol?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled iohexol 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.
Has iohexol been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 2 recall records whose product description mentions iohexol. The most recent: GE Healthcare Omnipaque (iohexol) Injection (Mar 24, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Iohexol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/iohexol
- MLA
- “Iohexol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/iohexol.
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 iohexol on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.