Harmonic imaging with Levovist for transthoracic echocardiographic reconstruction of left ventricle in patients with post-ischemic left ventricular dysfunction and suboptimal acoustic windows

Background: Attempts to perform transthoracic 3-dimensional echocardiograph y (3DE) are often encumbered by poor definition of chamber borders in adult patients who have technically suboptimal acoustic windows. Methods: To assess whether harmonic imaging (HI) and contrast agents can fa cilitate transthoracic 3DE assessment of the left ventricle, we used fundam ental imaging (FI), HI alone, and HI coupled with the echo-enhancing contra st agent Levovist in 15 consecutive patients with post-ischemic left ventri cular (LV) dysfunction and technically difficult windows. Dynamic 3DE image data sets were obtained at 5-degree angles (36 slices) from a transthoraci c apical view. From these data a total of 240 myocardial segments were anal yzed with the use of dynamic short-axis paraplane slices at basal middle, a nd apical LV levels (standard 16 segment model). For border definition, eac h segment was scored in random sequence on the following scale by 2 indepen dent investigators: 0 = not seen, 1 = suboptimal visualization, and 2 = wel l defined. Results: Our results showed a significant increase in the number of well-vi sualized segments when harmonic mode combined with Levovist injection was c ompared with FI and HI alone. Conclusion: Harmonic imaging alone improves LV assessment by 3DE when compa red with FI. Contrast imaging in which Levovist is added to HI further impr oves the capability of transthoracic tomographic 3DE in the visualization o f LV myocardial segments. This could allow 3DE by transthoracic windows to be used more widely in adults for the evaluation of LV volume and function.