Why would you use an irrigation staining technique opposed to direct application of iodine?

An irrigation staining technique is used to increase the contrast of soft tissue structures on an imaging study. This is done by injecting a contrast agent into the tissue. The contrast agent is typically iodine-based.

Iodine-based contrast agents can be irritating to the tissue and can cause inflammation. This can lead to increased pain and discomfort for the patient. Additionally, iodine-based contrast agents can cause allergic reactions in some patients.

An irrigation staining technique can help to minimize these side effects by diluting the contrast agent and evenly distributing it throughout the tissue. This can help to improve the comfort of the patient and increase the safety of the procedure.