Brazilian Leticia Paul, 22, died on Wednesday after a rare anaphylactic reaction to the contrast dye used in CT and MRI scans during a routine scan for kidney stones
A young woman has tragically died after suffering a severe allergic reaction after a CT scan in southern Brazil.
Leticia Paul, 22, passed away on Wednesday – less than 24 hours after a routine scan at a hospital in Rio do Sul, in the region of Santa Catarina. In an extremely rare turn, she reportedly went into anaphylactic shock after receiving a contrast agent – a special dye used in CT and MRI scans to make organs and tissues more visible on medical images.
Leticia, from the town of Lontras, which has around 12,800 residents, had a history of kidney stones and was undergoing the scan as part of a routine check, her aunt Sandra Paul said.
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The 22-year-old held a law degree and was pursuing postgraduate studies in Law and Real Estate Business, according to national outlet g1. The hospital expressed its condolences to the family, saying: “We regret this loss and extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family.
“We reaffirm our commitment to ethics, transparency, and patient safety, emphasising that all procedures are conducted in accordance with recommended clinical protocols.”
Radiology specialist Dr. Murilo Eugênio Oliveira told g1 Goiás that the procedure is generally safe and that various studies confirm its effectiveness for medical imaging. He added that adverse reactions are rare, particularly ones as severe as Leticia’s.
Leticia’s body was laid to rest on Thursday at Casa Mortuária Jardim Primavera in Rio do Sul before being transported to Crematório Vaticano in Balneário Camboriú.
The tragedy follows a similar rare incident in February last year. Yvonne Graham, a 66-year-old mum and retired butcher, went into cardiac arrest minutes after receiving contrast dye for a CT scan. Two hours later, she had died.
Her daughter, Yolanda, 39, believes the dye should not have been given due to her mother’s stage three kidney disease – and that an EpiPen in the scan room in Northampton General Hospital might have saved her. Yolanda, a hairdresser from Daventry, Northamptonshire, said: “It’s just such a shock. It doesn’t feel real. I still can’t get my head around it.
“Online [on the NHS website] it says you shouldn’t have the dye if you have kidney disease. It all happened so quickly. I heard her make a heaving noise like she was sick, then a doctor came out and was asking me her medical history – he was writing it on his hand.
“Surely they should have read her notes before injecting her – it’s just bad practice. There was no protocol. It’s ridiculous not to have an EpiPen or a crash trolley in the room.”