title: Clinical application of quantitative analysis in real-time MCE.
abstract: The introduction of stable microbubble contrast agents and technological advances have recently made it feasible to perform quantitative measurements of microvascular damage by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE). Qontrast is a new software system far such measurements. It includes physiological filters, global rescale, regional rescale, automatic myocardial tracking, manual ECG trigger and parametric imaging. Qontrast was tested on 5 pigs given sulphur hexafluoride bubbles (I ml/min) and fluorescent microspheres (reference) after the induction of 50% and 100% stenosis of left anterior descending coronary artery. The image sequences were repeated four times using different ultrasound (US) equipment. A close correlation was found between the ratio risk area/control area by microspheres and the equivalent ratio risk area/control area (Sl x beta) by MCE, being approximately 0.9 far any contrast modality tested. Parametric MCE and SPELT were compared in 12 patients with recent myocardial infarction, including 119 segments. Agreement amounted to 83% (kappa: 0.53 far peak SI and 0.55 far SI x beta). The sensitivity and specificity of peak SI far detecting abnormal segmental tracer uptake were 67% and 88%; the values far Sl x beta were 70% and 87%. Parametric MCE is a promising imaging technique far the assessment of myocardial perfusion in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. luciano.agati@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agati
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonti
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pedrizzetti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magri
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Funaro
authors.forename: Mariapina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madonna
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Celani
authors.forename: Tristan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Messager
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Broillet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003199:Computer Systems; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008863:Microspheres; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012985:Software Design; D012986:Software Validation; D013552:Swine