title: Improved accuracy of low-power contrast echocardiography for the assessment of left ventricular remodeling compared with unenhanced harmonic echocardiography after acute myocardial infarction: comparison with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Assessment of left ventricular (LV) remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has both therapeutic and prognostic implications. Low-power contrast echocardiography (CE) has the advantage of simultaneously assessing myocardial perfusion and LV remodeling.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of low-power CE to assess LV remodeling after AMI compared with unenhanced harmonic echocardiography (HE).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 36 consecutive patients underwent HE, CE (SonoVue), and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging 7 to 10 days after AMI. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), end-systolic volume (LVESV), and end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Absolute differences for LVESV and LVEDV between CMR and CE were significantly smaller than those between CMR and HE. CE estimate of LVEF more accurately classified patients into LVEF < 35%, 35% to 45%, and > 45% (agreement, 83%; kappa = 0.66 with CMR) compared with HE (agreement, 69%; kappa = 0.33 with CMR).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-power CE is more accurate than HE for estimating LV remodeling after AMI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, UK.
authors.forename: Tiong Keng
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burden
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Janardhanan
authors.forename: Chai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ping
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Dudley
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pennell
authors.forename: Roxy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Senior
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling