title: The use of the echo-enhancing agent Levovist does not influence the estimation of the degree of vascular stenosis calculated from peak systolic velocity ratio, diameter reduction and cross section area reduction.
abstract: Levovist, a new echo-enhancing agent, is proclaimed to give more information about blood flow and therefore might be supposed to show the true intravascular lumen. Thus, it has to be shown whether such an echo-enhancing agent influences the sonographic estimation of vascular stenosis. We investigated 32 patients with PAOD and a single stenosis in the iliacal or femoral arteries (mean age 54+/-13 years) using a color Doppler sonographic equipment with a 5.4 or 7.3 MHz linear transducer. Levovist was given in a concentration of 200 mg/ml i.v with a total dose of 4 g. We did two measurements before the application of Levovist. Peak systolic velocity ratio (PSVR) was 6.5+/-3.6 and 6.4+/-3.8 before and 6.3+/-4.2 after application of Levovist. Sonographic diameter reduction was 59+/-15 and 62+/-16% before, and 60+/-16% after application. Diameter reduction in angiography was 65+/-13%. Reduction of the cross section area was 81+/-14 and 83+/-15% before, and 83+/-16% after application. The use of the echo-enhancing agent Levovist does not influence the calculation of the peak systolic velocity ratio, diameter reduction or cross section area reduction. The degree of the stenosis calculated from the sonographic reduction in diameter tended to be smaller than in angiography either with or without Levovist.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Angiologie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Massalha
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rudofsky
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508