Table 2.

Summary of various oral contrasts

Type of oral contrast	Indications	Not Indicated
Positive oral contrast	- Suspected inter-bowel loop abscesses - Post-operative bowel leaks* - Extra-luminal soft tissue density tumors - Cancer staging and peritoneal carcinomatosis surveillance - Bowel fistulas* - Non-acute, nonspecific abdominal pain (in certain contexts) - Evaluation of small bowel obstruction* - CT colonography for colorectal cancer screening	- Acute gastrointestinal bleeds - Diagnosing acute abdominal pain (due to time needed for opacification and visual obstruction) - Imaging of hepatobiliary, pancreatic, or genitourinary areas - CT enetrography - Suspected intraabdominal hemorrhage or gastrointestinal bleeding - CT angiography- Blunt abdominal trauma (acute)
Neutral oral contrast	- Evaluating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) - Intraluminal filling defects including neoplasms - Causes of recurrent GI bleeds - Bowel wall calcifications - CT enetrography (replacing small-bowel follow-through for small-bowel imaging)	- Instances where positive contrast is indicated due to its ability to better delineate certain structures and pathologies
Oral contrast (general)	- Certain specific diagnostic and therapeutic applications as mentioned in the indication’s columns for positive and neutral contrasts	- Underlying heart failure - Allergies to contrast media - Risk of aspiration - Situations requiring rapid throughput to avoid delays and increased costs - Use in patients with specific conditions where the contrast could obscure critical findings or where it provides no direct diagnostic benefit