Contrast Echocardiography: Evidence for Clinical Use

Bhatia, Vinay Kumar BSc, MBBS, MRCP, PhD; Senior, Roxy MBBS, MD, DM, FRCP, FESC, FACC
Volume 21(5), May 2008, p 409–416
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
CONCLUSIONS

The use of contrast significantly enhances imaging in routine echocardiography and stress echocardiography, frequently allowing the rescue of procedures that do not provide results of diagnostic quality. Contrast enhancement can reduce the need for additional expensive tests, thereby reducing costs and, perhaps more importantly, may spare the patient further invasive investigations. The benefits of a greater familiarity and use of contrast in echocardiography will become even more apparent when the measurement of myocardial perfusion by this technique is routinely performed. Finally, recent safety concerns need to be methodically evaluated and, in the meantime, patient care may be best served by assessing the risk and benefits of using contrast agents on an individual case basis.