[Intravenous contrast echocardiography]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Echocardiography

Context:

• The commercial availability of Levovist in Japan has enabled intravenous contrast echocardiography.
• This technique enhances the delineation of cardiac structures and myocardial perfusion assessment.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the utility of intravenous contrast echocardiography with Levovist for left ventricular imaging and myocardial perfusion.
• To highlight the importance of standardized protocols for reproducible contrast echo studies.

Summary:

• Intravenous Levovist clearly delineates the left ventricular endocardial border, facilitating accurate measurements of dimensions, wall thickness, and wall motion abnormalities.
• Preliminary studies demonstrate the potential for myocardial staining and perfusion assessment using contrast-enhanced harmonic power Doppler imaging.
• Optimizing contrast injection and ultrasound equipment settings (mechanical index, gain, focus, pulse repetition frequency) is crucial for image quality and artifact reduction.

Impact:

• Improved accuracy in assessing left ventricular function and structure.
• Potential for non-invasive myocardial perfusion imaging.
• Highlights the need for standardization to facilitate widespread clinical adoption and comparative studies.