title: [Current status and indications for contrast echocardiography].
abstract: Due to newly developed techniques contrast echocardiography (CE) is less often applied today. As to reevaluate the usefulness and the indications for CE 7823 consecutive echocardiographic studies were analysed. In 638 (8%) of these studies CE was used. 379 patients showed signs of right ventricular overload, 58 due to a left-to-right shunt. Pressure overload due to pulmonary hypertension was found in 321 cases. CE enhanced doppler flow signals in tricuspid regurgitation and facilitated quantification of right heart dimensions. 259 patients were screened for patent foramen ovale (PFO), 94 after embolic events, and 165 because neurosurgical intervention in a sitting position was planned. So CE proved to be still indicated in the era of color flow doppler, especially for the detection of PFO.
authors.affiliation: II. Medizinische Abteilung, Landeskrankenhauses Graz.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weihs
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anelli-Monti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Picha
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schuchlenz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harb
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harnoncourt
mesh_terms: D002306:Cardiac Volume / Q000502:physiology; D003287:Contrast Media; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D014262:Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media