Improved endocardial border resolution during dobutamine stress echocardiography with intravenous sonicated dextrose albumin

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine whether intravenous sonicated dextrose albumin could improve endocardial border resolution during dobutamine stress echocardiography. Background. Sonicated albumin improves endocardial border resolution in patients undergoing exercise stress echocardiography. Because a sonicated mixture of albumin with dextrose results in better transpulmonary passage than sonicated albumin alone, this agent could be utilized to further improve endocardial border resolution during dobutamine stress echocardiography. Methods. We gave intravenous injections of sonicated dextrose and albumin to 50 patients undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography. Left ventricular video intensity, contrast agent persistence (in seconds), number of contrast agent-enhanced cardiac cycles and improvement in endocardial border resolution were assessed from the apical four-chamber view at baseline, low dose (10 μg/kg body weight per min) and peak dobutamine infusion. Results. There was significantly better left ventricular peak video intensity at peak dobutamine infusion than after the same injection at baseline (p < 0.005, analysis of variance). The number of contrast agent-enhanced cardiac cycles in the left ventricular cavity was also significantly longer at peak infusion. Endocardial border resolution was improved (mainly in lateral segments) in 93% of patients at low dose and 95% of patients at peak infusion. Conclusions. Intravenous sonicated dextrose albumin improves endocardial border resolution during dobutamine stress echocardiography.