Incidence of Left Ventricular Thrombus in Patients With Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Previous studies using 2-dimensional non-contrast echocardiography have reported a post-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) left ventricular (LV) thrombus incidence of 3% to 24%. However, these studies were not performed with ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs), which improve accuracy in the diagnosis of LV thrombus. We aimed to determine the early incidence and clinical correlates of LV thrombus in a large consecutive cohort of patients with STEMI.

Assessment of Device-Related Thrombus and Associated Clinical Outcomes With the WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Embolic Protection in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (from the PROTECT-AF Trial).

Left atrial appendage closure with the WATCHMAN device is an alternative to anticoagulation for stroke prevention in selected patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). LA device-related thrombus (DRT) is poorly defined and understood. We aimed to (1) develop consensus echocardiographic diagnostic criteria for DRT; (2) estimate the incidence of DRT; and (3) determine clinical event rates in patients with DRT.

Impact of transesophageal echocardiography on management in patients with suspected cardioembolic stroke.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is frequently performed in patients with acute ischemic cerebrovascular events to exclude a cardioembolic source. We aimed to determine the clinical impact of TEE on management. This is a retrospective single-center study of 1,458 consecutive patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack who underwent TEE for evaluation of a suspected cardioembolic cause.

Effect of renal transplantation for chronic renal disease on left ventricular mass.

Chronic kidney disease is associated with an increased left ventricular (LV) mass. Few data are available regarding the effect of renal transplantation on LV mass regression or the clinical factors associated with LV mass regression. Patients with ≥1 year of chronic kidney disease followed by successful renal transplantation were identified.

Evaluation of appropriate use of transthoracic echocardiography in 1,820 consecutive patients using the 2011 revised appropriate use criteria for echocardiography.

Revised Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Echocardiography were published in 2011 and classify potential procedure indications as appropriate (score of 7 to 9), uncertain (score of 4 to 6), or inappropriate (score of 1 to 3). The appropriate utilization rate of transthoracic echocardiography in clinical practice using the revised AUC is unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the appropriate utilization rate of echocardiography in a large number of consecutive studies in clinical practice and to determine the number of "unclassifiable" studies using the revised and expanded AUC.

Combined assessment of myocardial perfusion and diastolic function enhances risk stratification in patients with anterior wall myocardial infarction.

Objective: Evaluate the utility of a combined risk stratification scheme including diastolic dysfunction and "no-reflow," to identify high-risk patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that the "no-reflow" phenomenon (defined by myocardial contrast echocardiography) and severe diastolic dysfunction (identified by Doppler echocardiography) identify patients at high risk for mortality following AMI.

Methods: We evaluated 111 patients with recent anterior acute myocardial infarction from July 2000 to June 2004.

Contrast administration reduces interobserver variability in determination of left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and good baseline endocardial border delineation.

Echocardiographic contrast agents improve endocardial border delineation in patients with technically difficult baseline studies. With medical and device therapy for heart failure increasingly based on left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) partition values, the accurate and reproducible assessment of LV function is necessary. It was hypothesized that routine contrast enhancement would significantly reduce interobserver variability in the determination of LVEFs in a cohort of patients with LV dysfunction and good baseline endocardial delineation.

Pulmonary hemodynamic effects of dipyridamole infusion in patients with normal and elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure receiving PB127.

Background: Intravenous administration of microspheres used as ultrasound contrast agents may potentially alter pulmonary hemodynamics. PB127 (POINT Biomedical Corp., San Carlos, CA) is an investigational ultrasound perfusion-imaging agent used in conjunction with dipyridamole to diagnose coronary artery disease.

Myocardial contrast echocardiographic estimates of infarct size predict likelihood of left ventricular remodeling after acute anterior wall myocardial infarction.

Objectives: We sought to determine the utility of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in predicting left ventricular (LV) remodeling (LVR) in patients with a recent anterior wall myocardial infarction and residual regional LV akinesis.

Background: Although recent studies have shown that MCE predicts recovery of regional and global LV systolic function after myocardial infarction, the relationship between myocardial perfusion patterns and likelihood of subsequent LVR has not been extensively studied.

Methods: In all, 50 patients (mean age 62 years) underwent contrast-enhanced echocardiography for determination of LV volumes and ejection fraction, and MCE, 2 days after admission, with follow-up contrast-enhanced echocardiography 6 months later.

Nonsurgical Repair of Femoral Artery Pseudoaneurysm with Color Flow Guided Ultrasound Transducer Compression.

Arterial pseudoaneurysm is a significant complication following invasive angiographic procedures. A definitive diagnosis is usually obtainable with ultrasound imaging, including color flow Doppler. Treatment modalities include surgical repair or transducer directed compression.