Detection of resting myocardial perfusion defects by SonoVue myocardial contrast echocardiography.
BACKGROUND
SonoVue is a new microbubble contrast agent containing sulfur hexafluoride. We assessed the efficacy of SonoVue myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) to detect resting perfusion abnormalities.


METHODS
Nineteen adult patients with a wall motion abnormality in a screening echocardiogram were studied. Each patient received up to four bolus injections of 2.0 mL SonoVue (Bracco Diagnostics, Inc.) during echocardiographic examination using either B-mode(n = 12)or power Doppler(n = 7)imaging. Each patient also had SPECT nuclear perfusion imaging performed. Segmental assessment of myocardial perfusion from SonoVue MCE images were compared with corresponding SPECT nuclear images.


RESULTS
Using B-mode imaging, the mean number of views obtained with a single SonoVue injection ranged from 1.4 to 1.9, with 2 or 3 injections required for a complete examination. Ninety-four percent of segments were scored as diagnostic. Agreement between B-mode and SPECT images was 72% for segments with a perfusion defect, 86% for normal perfusion, and 80% for segments with either perfusion defect or normal perfusion (all views combined). Using power Doppler imaging, the mean number of views obtained with a single SonoVue injection ranged from 1.0 to 1.3, with 2 to 4 injections required for a complete examination. Sixty-eight percent of segments were scored as diagnostic. Agreement between power Doppler and SPECT images was 67% for perfusion defects, 53% for segments with normal perfusion, and 59% for segments with either perfusion defect or normal perfusion (all views combined).


CONCLUSIONS
SonoVue MCE has the potential to assess myocardial perfusion at rest. B-mode imaging was more accurate than power Doppler imaging when compared with SPECT nuclear imaging.
Nahar
Tamanna
T
Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Li
Peng
P
Kuersten
Bettina
B
Batra
Sanjay
S
Vannan
Mani A
MA
D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045423:Microbubbles; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010743:Phospholipids; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride