Opacification of the thoracic aorta after venous injection of sonicated albumin microbubbles. Implications for aortic dissection.
This study was designed to assess the feasibility of thoracic aorta opacification after intravenous injection of sonicated albumin microbubbles in patients with and without aortic dissection. Twenty-one patients were studied by transesophageal echocardiography. In 11 patients without aortic dissection, the opacification of the left ventricular outflow tract, aortic root and descending aorta was evaluated. Ten patients with aortic dissection were studied to assess perfusion of the true and false lumen. The left ventricular outflow tract, aortic root and descending aorta were opacified in all patients, with a systolic increase in contrast at visual analysis and at videodensitometry. The differentiation between false and true lumen was improved and was crucial in 1 case of type A chronic dissection. The intimal tear was detected in 7/9 cases by color Doppler vs 9/9 cases by contrast echocardiography. The noninvasive ultrasound opacification of thoracic aorta is feasible and may improve the diagnosis of aortic dissection.
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Istituto di Chirurgia del Cuore e dei Grossi Vasi, Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Roma.
D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003720:Densitometry; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013010:Sonication; D014741:Video Recording
D000418:Albumins; D003287:Contrast Media