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Contrast Agents for Ultrasonic Diagnosis: A New Arena for Pharmacy

Nuclear Pharmacy Services. University of Texas Medical School and Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX 77030

The use of contrast agents for ultrasonic diagnosis has been an elusive goal since the first experimental report of the successful use of gas bubbles in echocardiology in 1968. Included here is background information about the place of ultrasound in medical diagnosis, physical principles of ultrasound contrast, and examples of substances that have been used in an effort to achieve this goal. Reflection of ultrasound waves occurs to some extent in all tissues. Production of usefut reflected pulses most often results when structures with different acoustic impedances are separated by a discrete interface. One way in which contrast agents can facilitate production of such an interface is when they are taken up in higher concentrations in one tissue or organ than in an adjacent one. The principal acoustic parameters of tissue which may be influenced by the introduction of contrast agents are backscatter, attenuation, and speed of sound. The most important effect of contrast agents in imaging at present is the enhancement of backscatter. While there has been some progress in the use of these substances, their further development will depend upon successfully recruiting those who possess training in allied disciplines, such as pharmacy, toxicology, ultrasound physics and experimental techniques.

Journal of Pharmacy Practice, Vol. 2, No. 3, 171-176 (1989)
DOI: 10.1177/089719008900200306


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