Nanda N C
Heart Station/Echocardiography Laboratories, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35233-6846, USA.
Clin Cardiol. 1997 Oct;20(10 Suppl 1):I7-11. doi: 10.1002/clc.4960201304.
Since its experimental introduction over 30 years ago, the use of cardiac ultrasound has expanded expeditiously, particularly in the last decade. The inception of managed care has fueled this expansion because ultrasound technology has the potential to enhance cost-effective diagnosis and medical care. Another important factor driving the growth of cardiac ultrasound has been the recent and rapid development of contrast echocardiography (CE). This diagnostic technique, involving the injection of a contrast agent to enhance ultrasound imaging, provides a safe, noninvasive means of directly assessing myocardial perfusion and a host of other aspects of cardiovascular health and integrity.
自30多年前首次进行实验性应用以来，心脏超声的使用迅速扩展，尤其是在过去十年。管理式医疗的出现推动了这一扩展，因为超声技术有潜力提高诊断和医疗的成本效益。推动心脏超声发展的另一个重要因素是对比超声心动图（CE）最近的快速发展。这种诊断技术通过注射造影剂来增强超声成像，提供了一种安全、无创的手段，可直接评估心肌灌注以及心血管健康和完整性的许多其他方面。
