When Jodi Hedes’ blood pressure spiked to 255/155 in March, she was admitted to a local hospital.

The Palmerton woman stayed the night as a precaution, and now doctors want to clear some arterial blockages.

But the surgery won’t be scheduled until Hedes can get a CT scan - and that’s not possible right now.

“My vascular surgeon told me that will not happen until July because the dye that they need for the test is made in China and due to COVID-related supply chain disruptions they are on a month delay,” Hedes explained.

The shortage of contrast media, or the X-ray dye used to perform CT scans, isn’t just at St. Luke’s University Health Network, where Hedes seeks care. It is nationwide.

Because she needs the test, Hedes was personally notified by her doctor. Other patients of St. Luke’s receive notice when they log into their MyChart account or visit the hospital’s website.

“This shortage has been caused by the Chinese government’s COVID lockdown of Shanghai, where most of the world’s supply of contrast media is manufactured and then subsequently distributed by GE Healthcare and Bracco,” according to a statement provided by St. Luke’s spokesman Sam Kennedy.

The Lehigh Valley Health Network, which also serves the region, issued a similar notice to its patients. Among the departments affected, it said are the CT, interventional radiology, cardiac catheterization labs and operating rooms.

“The health and safety of our community is our utmost priority, and we are taking proactive steps to appropriately administer our current supply of IV contrast to patients who need it most,” according to the statement. “LVHN has supply to diagnose the most critical cases including strokes, heart attacks, traumas and other life-threatening emergent conditions.”

The disruption is expected to last until at least the end of June.

“As at all U.S. hospitals, St. Luke’s ability to perform these scans in all but the most critical cases will be limited until these supply chain issues are corrected,” according to the St. Luke’s statement.

Because her case isn’t considered critical, Hedes will wait until July 12 for the scan.

She noted that doctors ordered the tests to pinpoint the location of any blockages before they operate.

“I’m not worked up about it, I probably had blockages for years, it’s not like it is life-threatening,” Hedes said.

She was advised, however, that if she feels any strokelike symptoms to visit the emergency department.

LVHN has also postponed outpatient imaging tests requiring IV contrasts, and noted that the measures will only remain in effect during the shortage.

“Scans that do not require the dye are not impacted. LVHN has established a command center to respond in real time and is exploring alternative sources and vendors for IV contrast and using other imaging tools when appropriate, such as MRI. LVHN will reschedule impacted patients when we receive more supply,” LVHN noted.

GE HealthCare noted in an April 19 letter to customers that it was rationing orders on the products after the Shanghai lockdown.

In response, Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and patient safety policy for the American Hospital Association, said the group would monitor the situation and provide updates to hospitals and health systems.

“While we have been told to expect normal production to resume late next month, hospitals are exploring various conservation strategies including the use of other imaging technologies, using other contrast agents, rationing contrast and ensuring every available drop of contrast dye is used efficiently, and postponing some scans that can be postponed, to give a few examples, in order to continue to provide needed care,” Foster noted.

The AHA represents approximately 5,000 hospitals, health care systems and networks across the United States.

On Tuesday, GE Healthcare announced it had increased output of the dye at its factory in Ireland. It did not give details on the increase in capacity.