Clinical applications of myocardial contrast echocardiography.

Myocardial contrast echocardiography is a new technique that uses microbubbles of air in conjunction with simultaneously performed 2-dimensional echocardiographic imaging. Currently, it can be used to determine myocardial perfusion in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and the operating room. For myocardial contrast echocardiography to find a broader clinical application for the assessment of myocardial perfusion, it will be necessary to opacify the myocardium from venous injection of contrast in humans. In this regard, enhancement in bubble engineering, optimization of echocardiographic systems (greater sensitivity and dynamic range), and availability of digital image enhancement techniques will be required for myocardial contrast echocardiography to realize its full clinical potential by the year 2000.