Myocardial contrast echocardiography: enhancement of perfusion images by color coding.
To determine whether real-time color coding enhances the detection of myocardial perfusion through the use of echocardiographic contrast agents, we used a recently developed real-time color system during contrast injection in six open-chest dogs. Small amounts of echocardiographic contrast were injected into the left atrium. Short-axis epicardial images were obtained with a 5-MHz transducer before and after left anterior descending artery ligation. Gray-scale and rainbow-color map images were obtained for each contrast agent. The color map allowed detection of small increments in echo intensity that were not evident with routine gray-scale imaging. Thus, real-time color coding may improve the detection of myocardial perfusion with echocardiographic contrast agents.
Dávila-Román
V G
VG
Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
Barzilai
B
B
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
D003287:Contrast Media