Agitated saline versus polygelatine for the echocardiographic assessment of patent foramen ovale

Abstract

Background The choice of the optimal echo contrast agent could be of relevance for the detection of a patent foramen ovale (PFO). This study compares agitated saline solution and oxypolygelatine (OXY) with respect to their ability to detect a PFO. Methods A total of 34 patients (13 women, age 45 ± 16 years) underwent both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The appearance of contrast and the presence of a PFO was assessed visually and by acoustic densitometry for both agents. Results The sensitivity of the detection of a PFO (22 patent, 65%) was 71% with saline versus 84.6% for OXY. Maximum, mean acoustic densitometry grayscale intensity values and the duration of opacification was significantly higher for OXY versus saline for all chambers. Conclusions OXY has superior echo properties that translate into a higher sensitivity for the detection of a PFO. The choice of the optimal agent must be considered for clinical routine and research studies.