title: [Contrast agents in echocardiography].
abstract: Contrast echocardiography is new imaging modality dynamically entering to clinical practice. The efficient application of the contrast agents needs some knowledge of microbubbles physics. In this paper the basic principles of echo-contrast effects are presented and ultrasound microbubble fluid dynamics in the ultrasonic pressure field is addressed briefly. The recent developments in harmonic imaging end the transient and non-linear acoustic phenomena allow ultrasound to detect of blood flow in the microcirculation. In the second part of the paper it was demonstrated a potential for myocardial opacification by contrast echocardiography and the more recent application such as myocardial perfusion. The authors also reported intracardiac shunts imaging, enhancing endocardial border definition and bringing out of weak Doppler signals. The review of new contrast agents coming to the clinical practice is presented.
authors.affiliation: Instytutu Podstawowych Problemów Techniki PAN, Warszawie.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowicki
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olszewski
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media