Myocardial contrast echocardiography in acute myocardial infarction

MCE can be used to assess size of risk area, extent of myocardium receiving blood flow after attempted reperfusion, and extent of residual collateral-derived blood flow within the infarct zone in patients with AMI. At present, this can only be achieved by intracoronary injection of contrast during cardiac catheterization. Recent data indicate that the myocardium can be opacified in the dog from right heart injection of contrast and that hypoperfused zones can be detected using such an approach. If this bears out in humans, it may be possible to use MCE more extensively, and perhaps routinely, in patients with AMI.