Echogenic Microbubbles Research Articles

Direct effects of DC cardioversion on blood echogenicity: An in vitro study

Exacerbation of left atrial spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation has been attributed to left atrial mechanical dysfunction induced by the procedure (“atrial stunning”). An in vitro model was devised to determine whether electrically induced changes in blood properties might contribute to SEC formation after cardioversion. Human blood echogenicity was examined quantitatively by videodensitometry before and after shocks of 1, 2, 5, and 20 J. Changes in blood cell numbers, cell morphology, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were determined by haematological analysis. Immediately following electrical discharges, transient and dose-related, highly echogenic microbubbles were noted, but shocks of increasing intensity did not induce SEC at high blood velocity or alter the severity of SEC at low blood velocity. No quantitative or qualitative changes in haematological parameters were observed. These results suggest that direct effects of electrical shock on blood do not contribute to SEC after cardioversion. Systemic haematological responses to electric shock that might indirectly promote red cell aggregation in vivo cannot be excluded by this in vitro study.

Echo morphology and puncture diagnosis of intraabdominal abscesses

In this article it is reported about 35 intraabdominal abscesses, which were sonographically diagnosed in 32 patients. 22 times the diagnosis could be proven with percutaneous fine-needle-aspiration guided by ultrasound, five of them had a sonographically guided percutaneous abscess drainage, while 7 only could be diagnosed by operation. The sonomorphologic criteria of intraabdominal abscesses are polymorphous. Therefore we could subdivide the abscesses into five types according to their different echogeneity. Probes of pus, won by percutaneous five-needle-aspiration, were examined under experimental conditions in a waterbath. The sonomorphologic appearance is comparable to the in-situ-situation. Our experiments showed, that the echogeneity of intraabdominal abscesses is based on echogenic microbubbles besides echoforming detritus and protein-bodies. The polymorphous sonographic appearance of intraabdominal abscess formation and the well known problems of differential diagnosis gives percutaneous, sonographically guided fine-needle-aspiration an important position.