Usefulness of myocardial contrast echocardiography in predicting global left ventricular functional recovery after anterior wall acute myocardial infarction

Combined Assessment of Myocardial Perfusion and Diastolic Function Enhances Risk Stratification in Patients with Anterior Wall Myocardial Infarction

“…The St. Luke's Hospital Institutional Review Board approved the study and subjects gave informed consent prior to participation. Patients in this study have been previously reported on in earlier publications 5–7,9,10 . Patients were included in this analysis if a clinical echocardiogram (including a complete Doppler evaluation) was also performed during the index admission.…”

“…Next, MCE was performed as previously described 6,7 using low‐mechanical index imaging. One of two commercially available “second‐generation” fluorocarbon‐based echocardiography contrast agents was administered via intravenous bolus dosing.…”

“…(ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 26, January 2009) myocardial infarction, diastolic dysfunction, no-reflow Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) has recently emerged as a useful means of evaluating myocardial perfusion in the postacute myocardial infarction (AMI) patient. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] "No-reflow" demonstrated by MCE predicts lack of regional and global left ventricular (LV) functional recovery, 1,4-7 clinical complications, 2,3 LV remodeling, 8,9 and all-cause mortality. 10 Significant diastolic dysfunction (DF) identified by Doppler echocardiography post-AMI is also a potent predictor of mortality over intermediate to long-term follow-up.…”

Prognostic Value of Myocardial Viability Detected by Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography Early After Acute Myocardial Infarction

“…Unlike DSE, MCE can detect myocardial viability at rest, and unlike radionuclide perfusion imaging, MCE has no radiation burden and can be performed at the bedside. Recent studies have indicated that myocardial viability assessed by MCE can predict recovery of left ventricular (LV) function in patients after AMI (8,14). However, to date no study has investigated the value of myocardial viability determined by MCE in predicting prognosis after AMI in a population in which thrombolysis is a major form of acute reperfusion therapy.…”

“…If they do not fill within 15 s, then flow to the region is markedly reduced and will result in necrosis (11). This method of assessment of myocardial viability by MCE has been shown to predict recovery of regional function and transmural extent of infarction, and also has been shown to predict recovery of both regional and global LV function (8,13,14). Risk stratification after AMI.…”