Myocardial contrast echocardiography: research tool or ready for clinical use?

Increasing interest has been focused on myocardial contrast echocardiograph y (MCE) since latest imaging technologies allow the detection of echocontra st agents within myocardial structures following intravenous injections. Al though numerous studies on different aspects of pre-clinical and clinical a pplications have been published, MCE has not yet become a standard clinical application. This paper summarises and estimates the clinical value of the recent developments in this evolving field of research, particularly with regard to the new real-time perfusion imaging technologies.