《Ultrasound contrast agents_ A review》.pdfVIP

Ultrasound in Med. Biol., Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 319-333, 1994 Copyright © 1994 Elsevier Science L~I Pergamon Printed in the USA. All rights reserved 0301-5629/94 $6.00 + .00 0301-5629(94)E0016-6 OReview ULTRASOUND CONTRAST AGENTS: A REVIEW BARRY B. GOLDBERG, JI-BIN L I u a n d FLEMMING FORSBERG Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Received and infinal form 8 November 1993) Abstract--During the past 25 years, many attempts have been made to establish effective ultrasound contrast agents for both cardiac and noncardiac applications. The ideal ultrasound contrast agent would be: (a) nontoxic; (b) injectable intravenously; (c) capable of passing through the pulmonary, cardiac and capillary circulations; and (d) stable for recirculation. A variety of potential ultrasound contrast agents have been or are now under development. Present and future ultrasound contrast agents should provide for increased diagnostic capabilities in a variety of normal and abnormal vessels and organs throughout