Enhancement of Doppler flow signals in the left heart chambers by intravenous injection of sonicated albumin.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a transpulmonary contrast agent on Doppler flow signals in the left heart chambers.


BACKGROUND
Echo contrast agents are good ultrasound reflectors and could be used as Doppler signal enhancers. Sonicated albumin microbubbles are transpulmonary echo contrast agents and could enhance left heart Doppler signals after peripheral venous injection.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients with various heart diseases without intracardiac shunts were assessed with Doppler echocardiography before and after injection of sonicated albumin.


RESULTS
After an intravenous injection, pulsed Doppler signals of transmitral flow became more intense in all 16 patients examined, although flow velocity itself was not changed. In Doppler color flow imaging, the maximal mitral regurgitant signal area increased from 312 +/- 405 mm2 to 434 +/- 465 mm2, an average increase of 59 +/- 40% in all 17 patients with mitral regurgitation (p < 0.01). These effects were considered to be due to improvement of signal to noise ratio by the enhancement of Doppler flow signals. The duration of enhancement of pulsed Doppler transmitral flow signals was significantly longer than that of the left ventricular echocardiographic opacification (44 +/- 11 s vs. 17 +/- 7 s, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Intravenous injection of sonicated albumin can enhance the Doppler flow signals in the left heart chambers. This effect may be useful to improve the sensitivity of the Doppler system for detecting abnormalities of left heart blood flow such as mitral regurgitation.
Terasawa
A
A
Cardiology Division of Medicine, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
Miyatake
K
K
Nakatani
S
S
Yamagishi
M
M
Matsuda
H
H
Beppu
S
S
D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D003287:Contrast Media; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012709:Serum Albumin; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D012709:Serum Albumin