Contrast echocardiography: experience in a clinical echocardiography laboratory.
Although 2-dimensional echocardiography with adjunct intravenous contrast media improves endocardial visualization and enhances quality of spectral Doppler signals, widespread use of contrast agents has not occurred for various reasons. Results from this study indicate that discretionary use of contrast media will enhance endocardial and Doppler signal visualization scores without an impact on total procedure duration, lending credence to an argument for a lower threshold for discretionary use of contrast media.
Lester
Steven J
SJ
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona 85259, USA.
Askew
John W
JW
Hurst
R Todd
RT
Moreno
Carlos A
CA
Hentz
Joseph G
JG
Wood
Lori A
LA
Simpson
Rose A
RA
Schneck
Stephen L
SL
Tyler
Rochelle
R
Chaliki
Hari P
HP
Lynch
John J
JJ
D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*