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Contrast echocardiography: past and present

Contrast echocardiography is a noninvasive technique for the assessment of myocardial function and perfusion which improves estimation of endocardial border delineation through ventricular cavity opacification. The first report of contrast echocardiography date from 1968, when Gramiak and Shah reported their observation of "clouds of bubbles" in the aortic root following injections of saline through an intra-aortic catheter.The first contrast agents used were indocyanine green, agitated saline solution, sonicated solutions of dextrose and patient's blood, while today we are using second generation contrast agents:perflutren, perfluoropentane, perfluoropropane, perfluorooctylbromide and sulphur hexafluoride.Using the contrast agent with perflutren (Optison)the endocardial border is visible in mote than 93% of the patients, opacification of the whole left ventricle is achieved in 87% of the patients. Many noninvasive diagnostic laboratories are using contrast echocardiography in diagnosing 10%-15% of patients.

contrast echocardiography ; myocardial perfusion ; echo contrast agents

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