PILOT EXPERIENCE OF CLINICAL-APPLICATION OF INTRACORONARY CONTRAST ULTRASOUND FOR INVESTIGATION OF MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION

In 9 patients aged 40 - 50 years with suspected ischemic heart disease myocardial perfusion was studied by echocardiography after intracoron ary injection of ultrasound contrast material made 3.5 minutes after p olypositional coronary angiography. Transectional left ventricular ima ges attained at the level of papillary muscle or 4- and 2- chamber sec tions obtained from apical position of a probe were used. Ex tempore p repared sonicated urografin was,employed as contrast material. Results of assessment of myocardial perfusion (in terms of normal or disturbe d myocardial circulation) by ultrasound contrast echocardiography coin cided with data obtained at roentgenocontrast angiography in 81 cases. Intracoronary injection of ultrasound contrast medium produced no add itional myocardial suppression compared to roentgenocontrast material.