Contrast-enhanced echocardiogram
Contrast-enhanced echocardiogram, or Contrast echocardiography, is a noninvasive technique for improving echocardiographic resolution and providing real time assessment of intracardiac blood flow.
Contrast echocardiography is an imaging test that uses sound waves (ultrasound) to take pictures of the heart while it is beating. During the test, a special dye (contrast agent) is injected into your vein to help show structures in the heart better. It allows the inside of the heart to be seen more clearly on the ultrasound pictures. This test is most often done to check for certain heart problems that cannot be detected with other imaging tests.
Echocontrastography has no contraindications but, despite this, it is advisable for the patient to be adequately informed about the method of execution and the purpose of the test and to express the consent to the execution.
Please, notify us a possible state of pregnancy, a condition which, however, does not prevent the execution of the exam.
Echocontrastography has no risks.
The execution of this exam does not include preparation rules.
Please bring all your medications or a list of them with doses to your appointment.
The contrast-enhanced echocardiogram is conducted as a normal transthoracic echocardiogram. A peripheral venous access is applied to the patient, usually to the right arm, through which the contrast is injected.