Step 1: Radiographic contrast agents work because a high atomic number element absorbs X-rays strongly and stands out on film. The common choices are iodine, barium sulphate and gadolinium.
Step 2: Among these, iodine-based agents can be made water soluble, which is why they are used for intravenous and intravascular studies, urography and water-soluble gastrointestinal studies (for example when perforation is suspected).
Step 3: Barium sulphate is an insoluble suspension used for gut imaging and is never given when leakage into the peritoneum is possible. Bromium and calcium are not used as standard contrast media.
Step 4: Therefore the water-soluble contrast element is iodine, option b.