Hemodynamic characteristics, myocardial kinetics and microvascular rheology of FS-069, a second-generation echocardiographic contrast agent capable of producing myocardial opacification from a venous injection

Abstract

FS-069 produces no changes in hemodynamic function, myocardial blood flow, left ventricular wall thickening or pulmonary gas exchange when injected intravenously in large amounts. When diluted FS-069 is injected into the coronary artery, a very small fraction of the larger bubbles are entrapped within the microcirculation, resulting in a persistent contrast effect. Thus, although FS-069 is a safe intravenous echocardiographic contrast agent, it cannot provide information on myocardial blood flow when injected directly into a coronary artery.

Direct In Vivo Visualization of Intravascular Destruction of Microbubbles by Ultrasound and its Local Effects on Tissue

“…The left femoral vein was cannulated to allow microbubble infusion. The right spinotrapezius muscle was exteriorized 3 and positioned in a custom-built chamber filled with Ringer's solution (pH 7.4) presaturated with a mixture of 5% CO 2 and 95% N 2 and kept at a constant temperature of 37°C. To minimize the effects of differences in tissue flow between animals, maximal arteriolar vasodilation was achieved by addition of 10 Ϫ4 mol ⅐ L Ϫ1 adenosine (Sigma) to the Ringer's solution.…”

“…3 In the first 2 rats, we used several types of microbubbles: Optison (Molecular Biosystems), Imagent (Alliance Pharmaceuticals), DMP-115 (ImaRx Pharmaceutical), and BR1 (Bracco Imaging). Optison was selected for the remaining 13 rats because it provided the best DTAF labeling.…”

The use of echocardiography in acute cardiovascular care: Recommendations of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging and the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association

“…Contrast echocardiography with second generation contrast agents allows improved visualization of the endocardium, 5 which is useful in the assessment of left ventricular (LV) systolic function in patients with poor endocardial border delineation of LV pseudoaneurysms and intracardiac masses. 6,7 In the setting of acute cardiac failure, contrast injection can improve the Doppler signal envelope and be helpful for detecting severe aortic valve stenosis in patients with bad quality imaging.…”

Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography

“…The microbubbles in these agents do not aggregate, are biologically inert and safe, 18,19 remain entirely within the vascular space, 20,21 have an intravascular rheology that is very similar to that of erythrocytes, 20 -22 respond nonlinearly to ultrasound, [23][24][25] and are eliminated from the body via the reticuloendothelial system with their gas escaping from the lungs.…”