A 22-year-old woman has died after suffering a severe allergic reaction to contrast dye used in a CT scan in southern Brazil. Leticia Paul passed away on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after a routine scan at a hospital in Rio do Sul, Santa Catarina.
According to her aunt, Sandra Paul, Leticia had a history of kidney stones and was undergoing the scan as part of a routine check. The young woman, from the town of Lontras, held a law degree and was pursuing postgraduate studies in Law and Real Estate Business.
The hospital expressed its condolences, stating: '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 noted that the procedure is generally safe and that adverse reactions are rare, particularly severe ones like Leticia's. Fatal reactions to contrast agents are extremely uncommon.
This incident follows a similar case in the UK last year, where 66-year-old Yvonne Graham died after receiving contrast dye for a CT scan at Northampton General Hospital. Her daughter, Yolanda, questioned why the dye was administered given her mother's stage three kidney disease, and noted the absence of an EpiPen in the scan room.
