Myocardial blood volume and perfusion reserve responses to combined dipyridamole and exercise stress: A quantitative approach to contrast stress echocardiography

Abstract

Background: Qualitative interpretation of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) improves the accuracy of wall-motion analysis for assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD). We examined the feasibility and accuracy of quantitative MCE for diagnosis of CAD. Methods: Dipyridamole/ exercise stress MCE (destruction-replenishment protocol with real-time imaging) was performed in 90 patients undergoing quantitative coronary angiography, 48 of whom had significant (> 50%) stenoses. MCE was repeated with exercise alone in 18 patients. Myocardial blood flow (A*β) was obtained from blood volume (A) and time to refill (β). Results: Quantification of flow reserve was feasible in 88%. The mean A*β ..