title: Improved 3-D-echocardiographic endocardial border delineation using the contrast agent FS069 (Optison) transesophageal studies in a porcine model.
abstract: 3-D echocardiography has the potential for quantitative assessment of regional wall motion. However, the 3-D procedures used to date do not provide the same spatial and temporal resolution as 2-D echocardiography, which results in problems with border delineation of the endocardium. There are, as yet, few studies testing if the use of contrast agent can improve endocardial definition in the 3-D data set. FS069 (Optison) was used for the first time for this purpose in the present study. A total of 12 mechanically-ventilated pigs were examined by transesophageal 3-D echocardiography, 1. using fundamental imaging and 2. following left-atrial injection of FS069 (Optison). The left ventricle was analyzed using an 18-segment model. Score with the value 0 (not visible), 1 (moderately visible) and 2 (well defined) were used to rate endocardial definition. All segments were assessed both end-diastolic and end-systolic. Various LV regions were examined by grouping segments (anterior/lateral/inferior and basal/mid-ventricular/apical). Using the contrast agent, the proportion of nonvisible segments fell diastolic from 40 (18.5%) to 15 (6.9%), and systolic from 26 (12.0%) to 11 (5.1%). The proportion of well defined segments increased diastolic from 62 (28.7%) to 108 (50%) and systolic from 73 (33.8%) to 123 (56.9%). The mean visibility score increased diastolic from 1.10 +/- 0.68 to 1.43 +/- 0.62 (p < 0.001), systolic from 1.22 +/- 0.64 to 1.52 +/- 0.59 (p < 0.001). The benefit was greatest in regions where the visibility score was lowest without contrast: in the area of the lateral wall and systolic near the apex. In conclusion, the use of FS069 (Optison) results in significantly better endocardial delineation in the 3-D data set. This could be important in future for the 3-D echocardiographic assessment of regional wall motion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany. handke@mm31.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Handke
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heinrichs
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magosaki
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lutter
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dern
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geibel
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D004699:Endocardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013552:Swine; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D003287:Contrast Media; C099458:FS 069; D005466:Fluorocarbons