title: Assessment of Skeletal Muscle Perfusion using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography: Technical Note.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is a recently developed technique for assessment of tissue perfusion, but has not been used for assessment of skeletal muscle perfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied a 42-year-old woman in whom myonecrosis was suspected due to systemic vasculitis and ischemia. The biceps brachii (right) and quadriceps femoris (vastus medialis) on right-hand side and subsequently left-hand side were imaged. Intravenous bolus of activated perflutren lipid microspheres was injected and B-Flow color mode (brown color) was used within a selected region of interest to image the passage of contrast through muscle parenchyma throughout three cardiac cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visual interpretation of muscle perfusion was performed based on the maximal intensity of contrast in the muscle, and the speed of contrast replenishment. No deficits were noted in the perfusion pattern. The arterial phase demonstrated stellate vascularity, centrifugal filling, and homogeneous hypervascularity at peak enhancement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bolus of contrast resulted in good signal persistence and satisfactory imaging for multiple muscle groups.
authors.affiliation: Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Institute, St. Cloud, MN, USA; Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Adnan I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.affiliation: Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Institute, St. Cloud, MN, USA; Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Muhammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.affiliation: Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Institute, St. Cloud, MN, USA; Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aytac
authors.affiliation: Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Shawn S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wallery
keywords: Muscle perfusion; contrast; lipid microspheres; muscle ischemia; myonecrosis; ultrasonography