Final answer:
It is a misconception that patients with shellfish allergies are at an increased risk of a reaction to IV or oral contrast used in medical imaging, as the proteins causing shellfish allergies are different from iodine in contrast agents. The idea that iodine is the culprit in shellfish allergies has been challenged and is not supported by scientific evidence. A food allergy involves an immune response to small amounts of the allergen, while food intolerance symptoms are dose related and typically do not involve the immune system.
Step-by-step explanation:
False. A patient with a shellfish allergy may not necessarily be allergic to oral or IV contrast, as the allergens causing shellfish allergies are different from the iodine used in contrast agents.
Food allergies, such as a shellfish allergy, occur when the immune system reacts abnormally to a component within the food. Specifically, shellfish allergies are usually caused by proteins in the shellfish, not the iodine content. Contrast media, which is used for imaging procedures, contains iodine; however, it is not the same as the shellfish proteins that typically trigger allergic reactions. Therefore, the belief that shellfish allergies are directly related to iodine sensitivity has been largely debunked.
The term dose related refers to the relationship between the quantity of a substance and the magnitude of the response by the body. In the context of food intolerances, this means that symptoms are related to the amount of the ingested substance and typically involve a non-immune system response, unlike food allergies which can be triggered by even minute amounts of the allergen.