title: [Ultrasound contrast media for neurovascular applications].
abstract: Ultrasound is widely used in the assessment of neurovascular diseases. In spite of its effectiveness there are considerable limitations such as low flow detection in carotid disease or limited bony windows in transcranial Doppler. One approach to overcome these limitations is the use of ultrasound contrast enhancing agents. The usefulness of ultrasound contrast enhancing agents Levovist, EchoGen and BY 963 in neurovascular applications has been evaluated. Contrast enhanced colourflow Doppler for the diagnosis of carotid disease has been investigated in three small trials and might be effective for improving the diagnostic yield in severe disease. Contrast enhanced transcranial colourflow Doppler has been relatively more widely explored also with promising results. Based on the combined findings out of these preliminary investigational trials, it appears to be reasonable to undertake larger trials for assessment of usefulness of ultrasound contrast agents for a variety of neurovascular applications.
authors.affiliation: Neurovascular Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gahn
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Ackerman
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Candia
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011134:Polysaccharides; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010420:Pentanes
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011134:Polysaccharides; C096494:BY 963; C059891:SHU 508; C008806:perfluoropentane; D010420:Pentanes