Contrast Echocardiography In Diagnosis Research Articles

Complementary Roles of Transthoracic Two‐Dimensional Color Doppler Imaging and Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography in Diagnosis of Endomyocardial Fibrosis

Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) is a rare progressive restrictive cardiomyopathy of unknown etiology that mainly presents with heart failure. The presence of a small ventricle with obliteration of the apex and a large atrium are two-dimensional echocardiographic findings that are highly suggestive of EMF. Cardiac magnetic resonance with delayed enhancement allows detection of subendocardial fibrosis with good histopathological correlation, providing a noninvasive modality for diagnosing EMF. We herein report a case of EMF in which the complementary role of two-dimensional color Doppler imaging and myocardial contrast echocardiography proved to be useful in the diagnosis of this clinical entity, which was later confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance, surgery, and histopathology.

Visualization of Endomyocardial Fibrosis by Delayed-Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging

An 18-year-old Venezuelan woman, with a history of idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy, presented at our hospital with ongoing dyspnea, palpitations, and lightheadedness. A medical evaluation revealed heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Cardiac catheterization revealed normal coronary arteries. The left ventriculogram demonstrated late filling of the apex, which was almost obliterated by prominent trabeculations. Moderate mitral regurgitation with significant enlargement of the left atrium was observed. The ejection fraction was 44%, without regional wall motion abnormalities (Figure 1). Figure 1. End-systolic (A) and end-diastolic (B) frames of the left ventriculography show partial obliteration of the cavity …

Contrast echocardiography for diagnosis of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas late after construction of a Glenn anastomosis

AbstractTo demonstrate the use of transthoracic contrast echocardiography in the detection of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in patients with a previously constructed anastomosis between the superior caval vein and the right pulmonary artery (Glenn shunt), and to examine their prevalence in this special population, we evaluated prospectively all patients followed up in the Grown-Up Congenital Heart Unit subsequent to construction of a classical or bi-directional Glenn shunt. We studied 12 patients, aged from 21 to 38 (mean 28 ± 4.8) years who had had a previous cavopulmonary shunt in place for a period of 4 to 33 years (mean 24±9 years). All were examined with cross-sectional contrast echocardiography, 11 patients had cardiac catheterisation and angiography, and 6 patients had magnetic resonance imaging. Systemic arterial oxygen saturations at rest, and during exercise using the modified Bruce protocol, were measured in all patients. Contrast echocardiography showed evidence of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in 7 of the 12 patients, with appearance of echo contrast in the left atrium 1–8 seconds after peripheral venous injection in the arm. Simultaneous appearance of microbubbles in the right atrium revealed a residual communication between the superior caval vein and the right atrium in 2 patients, and presence of collaterals between the superior and inferior caval veins in one. Cardiac catheterisation and angiography showed obvious fistulas in 4 patients, and revealed suggestive findings in 2. In patients deemed to have pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas on contrast echocardiography, arterial oxygen saturations at rest (51–94%, mean 75±15.3%) and on exercise (23–91%, mean 53±24.2%) were significantly lower compared to patients judged to be without fistulas (p<0.005). Pulmonary hypertension in the contralateral lung was more common in patients with fistulas (mean left pulmonary arterial pressure 22–110 mm Hg, p=0.014). In patients with cavopulmonary anastomoses, pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas occur frequently in the long term (10–33, mean 25.7±8 years), and are associated with worsening systemic arterial desaturation. Contrast echocardiography should be included in the regular evaluation of these patients as a simple and sensitive technique for the detection of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas, particularly with the devel opment of increasing cyanosis.