Myocardial contrast echocardiography for the assessment of left ventricular function.
Assessment of regional and global left ventricular (LV) function is important in the management of patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. Echocardiography is widely used to provide vital parameters of LV function such as ejection fraction, wall motion score indices, LV volumes and regional wall motion assessment. Despite advances in image quality some images may still be inadequate for accurate assessment of LV function. The advent of intravenous contrast agents consisting of microbubbles have allowed improved endocardial definition leading to better assessment of global and regional function. This together with advances in low power imaging techniques allow less microbubble destruction and hence smaller doses of contrast agent. Improved endocardial definition has also lead to advances in techniques for the automated quantification of LV function. As a result contrast enhanced echocardiography may become the gold-standard in the assessment of wall motion and LV function.
Jeetley
P
P
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, England, UK.
Senior
R
R
D003287:Contrast Media; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
D003287:Contrast Media