title: Ultrasound contrast agents: a promising future.
abstract: The emerging field of contrast ultrasound has great and untapped potential. Improved vascular enhancement may increase the number and type of diagnostic vascular examinations. Improved vessel depiction may increase examination speed and improve patient throughput. New gray-scale contrast imaging techniques may substantially increase the sonographic detection and characterization of liver, kidney, and other focal parenchymal masses. Contrast ultrasound examinations may increase diagnostic confidence, decrease nondiagnostic studies, and decrease the requirement for additional imaging studies. Further investigation is needed, however, to determine the diagnostic use and cost-effectiveness of this new approach relative to CT, MR imaging, angiography, and conventional ultrasound imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Robbin
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media