Myocardial contrast echocardiography from peripheral venous injection: the potential for detection of myocardial perfusion abnormality]

Myocardial contrast echocardiography is a useful method for clinical evaluation of myocardial perfusion abnormality in ischemic heart disease. However, this method has a limitation in selection of patients because it is necessary to inject the contrast agent directly into the coronary artery in a catheterization room to obtain the image of myocardial opacification. Recently several echo contrast agents that have the potential for myocardial opacification after intravenous injection have been developed. These agents consist of perfluorocarbon gas filled-microbubble coated by a stabilizing surfactant. It's persistence is longer in air filled-microbubble such as Albunex. Safety of contrast agent and highly efficacy for myocardial opacification, no significant changes in parameters of cardiopulmonary function and hemodynamics are reported both in animal and human studies. In future contrast myocardial echocardiography with intravenous injection offers the potential for reliable and noninvasive assessment of perfusion in myocardial infarction before and after therapeutic interventions.