EFFICACY AND ADVERSE-EFFECTS OF TRANSPULMONARY CONTRAST ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY USING SONICATED ALBUMIN

We studied the feasibility and adverse effects of transpulmonary contr ast echocardiography using sonicated albumin in 6 dogs. Left heart con trast was observed by two-dimensional echocardiography, monitoring lef t ventricular pressure, its first derivative (dP/dt) and arterial oxyg en saturation. The left heart was adequately opacified in 48 of 55 inj ections of various intravenous doses of sonicated albumin. Left ventri cular myocardial opacification was faintly observed in only 1 injectio n. After injections of a large dose (0.5 ml/kg), left ventricular syst olic pressure decreased, maximal positive dP/dt decreased and negative dP/dt increased, slightly. Hemodynamic parameters showed no significa nt changes with the other doses. Arterial oxygen saturation tended to decrease after injection, which was most remarkable with a large dose injection. In conclusion, although a large dose of intravenous sonicat ed albumin may opacify not only the left heart cavity but the ventricu lar myocardium, it deteriorates hemodynamic parameters and oxygen exch ange in the lung.