title: Pharmacokinetic studies of different echo-contrast agents in the cerebral circulation of dogs.
abstract: Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) are improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the reflected ultrasound so that Doppler frequency spectra can be recorded even under poor sonographic conditions. This is of particular diagnostic value in transcranial Doppler sonography. Depending on specific pharmacologic properties, echo-contrast agents may cause different increase and duration in Doppler signal amplitude. We used a dog model to study the temporal profile of Doppler signal amplitude after application of a phospholipid-containing echo-contrast agent (BY 963). In addition, we compared it with a contrast agent containing albumin (Albunex). Spherosome suspension BY 963 resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the duration of ultrasound amplification (Doppler enhancement of 1 mL, 3 mL and 10 mL of BY 963 per animal: 62.4 +/- 8.4, 72.8 +/- 9.2 and 67.7 +/- 4.2 s, respectively, n = 6). Detection of BY 963 in the extracranial jugular vein demonstrated that the UCA passes through the cerebral microcirculation (cerebral transit time was 2.2 +/- 0.2 s, n = 4). The signal enhancement lasted longer using the spherosome suspension compared with the albumin-containing solution (77.2 +/- 11.6 and 31.1 +/- 3.7 s, respectively, n = 6), and the maximum increase in intensity was more pronounced (27.0 +/- 2.0 and 17.5 +/- 2.2 dB, respectively, n = 6).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University at Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Beller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaps
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004285:Dogs; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; C060687:Albunex; C096494:BY 963; D003287:Contrast Media; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines