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Clinical Trial
. 2005 Dec;18(12):1329-34.
doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2005.04.010.

Improved visualization of aortic intima-media thickening with the use of perflutren lipid microspheres

S Michelle Bierig  1 , Alan Maniet, Steven C Herrmann, Jacob G Hoover, Denise Sherriff, Sarah Kutter, Arthur J Labovitz
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Improved visualization of aortic intima-media thickening with the use of perflutren lipid microspheres

S Michelle Bierig et al. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2005 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been used to diagnose atherosclerotic disease for patients who present with systemic embolic events. The primary aim of this study was to assess the supplemental value of echocardiographic contrast to standard TEE in identifying the aortic intima-medial thickness.

Methods: An aorta phantom was used to validate the accuracy of border delineation with and without contrast during TEE imaging. In all, 44 patients underwent TEE imaging of the thoracic aorta with a subsequent administration of a 0.3-mL bolus of perflutren lipid microspheres (Definity). Precontrast and postcontrast images were analyzed semiquantitatively for border delineation and quantitatively for intima-medial thickness and cross-sectional area.

Results: Wall thickness in the aortic phantom model with contrast was smaller, more accurate, and more reproducible to the true measurement. The clinical studies reflected similar results with average contrast intima-medial thickness measured at 0.15 +/- 0.08 cm and noncontrast at 0.18 +/- 0.08 cm (P < .01). The lateral wall showed the greatest improvement with a score of 1.23 increasing to an average of 1.82 (P < .001) with contrast. The medial, anterior, and posterior walls improved to an average 1.98, 1.39, and 2.0, respectively (P = .01).

Conclusions: Contrast agents provide better aortic intima-media enhancement during TEE.

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