Abstract
The development of new microbubble agents and ultrasound imaging modalities now allows the assessment of myocardial perfusion with echocardiography. Microbubbles also can be administered intravenously as constant infusions, which allows their concentration in blood to reach steady state. If the relation between microbubble concentration and video intensity is within the linear range, then myocardial video intensity will reflect the concentration of microbubbles in that region, which at steady state is the myocardial blood volume. The ability to destroy microbubbles and measure their replenishment into the ultrasound beam provides an opportunity to evaluate microbubble (or red blood cell) velocity. The product of myocardial blood volume and red blood cell velocity represents myocardial blood flow.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 409-416 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Echocardiography |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 2002 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Myocardial blood flow
- Myocardial blood volume
- Myocardial contrast echocardiography
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine