Conventional echocardiography can sometimes pose a challenge to diagnosis due to sub-optimal images.Ultrasound contrast agents(UCAs)have been shown to drastically enhance imaging quality,particularly depicting the lef...Conventional echocardiography can sometimes pose a challenge to diagnosis due to sub-optimal images.Ultrasound contrast agents(UCAs)have been shown to drastically enhance imaging quality,particularly depicting the left ventricular endocardial borders.Their use during echocardiography has become a valuable tool in non-invasive diagnostics.UCAs provide higher-quality images that may ultimately reduce the length of hospital stays and improve patient care.The higher cost associated with UCAs in many situations has been an impediment to frequent use.However,when used as an initial diagnostic test,UCA during rest echocardiogram is more cost-effective than the traditional diagnostic approach,which frequently includes multiple tests and imaging studies to make an accurate diagnosis.They can be easily performed across multiple patient settings and provide optimal images that allow clinicians to make sound medical decisions.This consequently allows for better diagnostic accuracies and improvement in patient care.展开更多
In a pilot study of 27 patients, those who presented with chest pain underwent 2 dobutamine stress echocardiographic studies, 1 with high mechanical index harmonic imaging to analyze wall motion without contrast and 1...In a pilot study of 27 patients, those who presented with chest pain underwent 2 dobutamine stress echocardiographic studies, 1 with high mechanical index harmonic imaging to analyze wall motion without contrast and 1 with real-time low mechanical index perfusion imaging with intravenous Optison to assess myocardial perfusion and wall motion. All patients then underwent quantitative coronary angiography. Two independent reviewers demonstrated an improvement in sensitivity when analyzing myocardial perfusion. In the 21 patients who had significant coronary stenoses, 14 had abnormal myocardial perfusion detected at peak stress and 7 had abnormal wall motion detected by standard dobutamine stress echocardiography. There was decreased specificity with perfusion imaging by 1 reviewer. The addition of real-time perfusion imaging after intravenous contrast during dobutamine stress echocardiography has the potential to improve detection of coronary artery disease.展开更多
文摘Conventional echocardiography can sometimes pose a challenge to diagnosis due to sub-optimal images.Ultrasound contrast agents(UCAs)have been shown to drastically enhance imaging quality,particularly depicting the left ventricular endocardial borders.Their use during echocardiography has become a valuable tool in non-invasive diagnostics.UCAs provide higher-quality images that may ultimately reduce the length of hospital stays and improve patient care.The higher cost associated with UCAs in many situations has been an impediment to frequent use.However,when used as an initial diagnostic test,UCA during rest echocardiogram is more cost-effective than the traditional diagnostic approach,which frequently includes multiple tests and imaging studies to make an accurate diagnosis.They can be easily performed across multiple patient settings and provide optimal images that allow clinicians to make sound medical decisions.This consequently allows for better diagnostic accuracies and improvement in patient care.
文摘In a pilot study of 27 patients, those who presented with chest pain underwent 2 dobutamine stress echocardiographic studies, 1 with high mechanical index harmonic imaging to analyze wall motion without contrast and 1 with real-time low mechanical index perfusion imaging with intravenous Optison to assess myocardial perfusion and wall motion. All patients then underwent quantitative coronary angiography. Two independent reviewers demonstrated an improvement in sensitivity when analyzing myocardial perfusion. In the 21 patients who had significant coronary stenoses, 14 had abnormal myocardial perfusion detected at peak stress and 7 had abnormal wall motion detected by standard dobutamine stress echocardiography. There was decreased specificity with perfusion imaging by 1 reviewer. The addition of real-time perfusion imaging after intravenous contrast during dobutamine stress echocardiography has the potential to improve detection of coronary artery disease.
