title: [Value of low dose dobutamine real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography in the assessment of coronary artery disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the value of quantitative real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography (RT-MCE) combined with low dose dobutamine stress test in the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD), and to assess the contribution of collateral blood flow (CBF) to myocardial perfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six hospitalized patients referred for coronary angiography and subsequent revascularization underwent routine echocardiography, RT-MCE at baseline and after low dose dobutamine administration. The images of RT-MCE were analyzed quantitatively from microbubble replenishment curves for myocardial perfusion and its reserve by using the QLab software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, both beta and A x beta (but not A) were decreased with the increase of severity of coronary stenosis (P < 0.01). Under dobutamine stress, A, beta and A x beta values were decreased with the increase of severity of coronary stenosis (P < 0.01), Graded decreasing in the reserves of A, beta and A x beta were observed with increasing coronary stenosis severity (P < 0.01). Furthermore, significant differences in beta, A x beta, and WMS were observed between segments with CBF and those without.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantitative RT-MCE in conjunction with dobutamine stress can be used as a sensitive measure to identify and stratify CAD as well as to assess the contribution of collateral blood flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Shi-zun
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Xian-hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Cui-zhen
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Yan-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun-bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Hao-zhu
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D025401:Echocardiography, Stress / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media