Left ventricular contrast echocardiography — echoventriculography

Echographic contrast agents were first used for structure identification [1, 2]. Pooled data analysis revealed a high safety [3]. Special agents have been developed in order to standardize right heart opacification [4] and to enhance echocardiographic Doppler signals [5–9]. The latter effect was not expected [9]. All agents contain air as reported by others between 12 and 35 µl/ml [9]. The stability reaches more than 5 min. Injections of up to 20 ml are necessary. The osmolality is between 345 and 1740 mosm/kg H2O [9].