Color Doppler Visualization of Intramyocardial Coronary Arteries Using a New Echo System: Effect of Contrast Enhancement and Vasodilation.

Utilizing a new echocardiographic system, intramyocardial coronary arteries could be demonstrated by color Doppler in a small number of open chest animals. Both intravenous and intracoronary injections of a contrast agent (Levovist) resulted in significant enhancement of color flow signals with an increase in the length, width, and the number of these vessels. Similar results were obtained with intravenous infusion and direct intracoronary injections of a vasodilator (adenosine). (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 13, November 1996)