Administration of an intravenous perfluorocarbon contrast agent improves echocardiographic determination of left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction: comparison with cine magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Administration of an intravenous contrast agent improves the ability to accurately assess LV volumes and EF in humans. Contrast enhancement is most useful in subjects with two or more adjacent endocardial segments not seen at baseline.

Contrast-enhanced versus non-enhanced three-dimensional echocardiography of left ventricular volumes

“…19 Several earlier studies investigated the influence of contrast enhancement on LV endocardial wall visibility and volume measurements using both 2DE and 3DE, as described schematically in table 2. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]25 Among these, the results of two 2D studies using the ultrasound contrast agent Levovist are in line with the present study (a significant increase in LV volumes), effects that were ascribed to ultrasound contrast filling up intertrabecular space. 17,19 A similar study with EchoGen showed a small but significant decrease in LV end-diastolic volume, and no change in LV endsystolic volume and ejection fraction measurements.…”

“…[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Besides improved endocardial border definition, several studies observed larger LV volumes following ultrasound contrast administration. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] This may be explained by the fact that the LV contrast fills up the intertrabecular space, thereby delineating the outermost rather than the innermost endocardial contour. Although ultrasound contrast agents have the potential to improve LV volume measurement reproducibility, the question arises where the LV cavity boundaries should be drawn: i.e.…”

Screening patients for primary prophylaxis implantable cardioverter defibrillators: Insights into current practices

“…In these cases, the use of intravenous contrast agents can improve endocardial border definition and reader confidence in the assessment of wall motion. Contrast echocardiography has been proven to improve the estimates of LVEF substantially (12,13). For example, Hundley et al (13) calculated the LVEF in 40 patients using both noncontrast and contrast echocardiography, and compared the results with those obtained using same-day magnetic resonance imaging.…”

Clinical usefulness of SonoVue contrast echocardiography: the Thoraxcentre experience

“…Ultrasound contrast agents that traverse the pulmonary circulation and opacify the left cardiac chambers may overcome this limitation and have proven to be important for the assessment of left ventricular (LV) border detection and function. 1,2 An overview of the use of ultrasound contrast agents was published in this journal in 1998. 3,4 SonoVue, a commercially available contrast agent, has been used in the Netherlands since 2001.…”