Feasibility of Performing Real-Time Myocardial Contrast Echoc a rdiog raphy During Clinical Dobutamine Stress Echoca rdiog raphy in Technically Difficult Patients

摘要

Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) has emerged as an alternative to nuclear medicine perl'usion imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of performing and the interpretation of MCE for perfusion imaging in a clinical laboratory. The study population consisted of 150 consecutive patients referred for dobulamine stress echocardiography (DSE) to determine the presence of myocardial ischemia. Echocardio-graphic perfiision images were digitized at rest and at peak dobutamine infusion for later review. A total of 12 myocardial segments in the apical four and two chamber iews were graded as no pcrliision. minimal perl'usion. definite perl'usion. or not able to evaluate. Of 3600 possible segments, a total of 2926 (8190 were able to be graded at either rest or peak dobulamine. At rest. 79% of segments were graded for perfiision (1419 of 1800 segments). At peak dobulamine infusion. 84% of segments were graded for perfiision (1507 of 1800 segments). The results demonstrate that MCE is clinically feasible to perform and interpret during DSE on a routine daily basis.