Reactions to iodinated contrast media are generally classified as either idiosyncratic or chemotoxic. Since these reactions are not IgE mediated, procedures such as skin and conjunctival pretesting are not helpful. Intravenous injection of a test dose has not geen validated as an effecive screen for adverse reactions, although this approach does have its advocates. In the past thirty years, all forms of pretesting have been shown repeatedly to be insensitive and inherently dangerous. Several deaths and many serious reactions caused by pretesting have been reported. In the presence of overwhelming evidence that pretesting is not only useless in the prediction of reactions, but also potentially hazardous, the pretesting practice has decreased or been abandoned in most countries at the present time. For patients who have had a previous adverse reaction to iodinated contrast media, alternative procedures may be used, such as sonography, contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, or radiography with nonionic contrast medium. In conlusion, there is no indication for pretesting in the use of iodinated contrast medium.