Contrast Agents used in Ultrasound
Ultrasound | Hariette A.W. | November 8, 2012 at 01:55Ultrasound contrast agents are gas-filled micro-bubbles which are injected into the blood stream. Micro-bubbles will give increased backscatter signal due to the large acoustic impedance mismatch between the gas-filled bubble and surrounding tissue
Micro-bubble suspension is injected intravenously into the systemic circulation in a small bolus. The micro-bubbles will remain in the systemic circulation for a certain period of time. Ultrasound waves are directed on the area of interest and when the micro-bubbles in the blood flow pass the imaging window they give rise to increased signal. Also, these CM allows detection of blood flow where it would otherwise not be seen.
| Name | Capsule | Gas | Bubble Size |
| LEVOVIST | Palmitic acid | Air | 3-5 mm |
| SONOVIST | Cyano-acrylate | Air | 2 mm |
| DEFINITY | Lipid | Perfluoropropane | 2 mm |
| OPTISON | Albumin | Octafluoropropane | 3.7 mm |
| SONOVUE | Phospholipids | SF6 | 2-3 mm |
| SONAZOID | Surfactant | Fluorocarbon | 3.2 mm |
| ALBUNEX | Albumin | Air | 4 mm |






Tweet This
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
KPSS
