[Myocardial contrast echocardiography as a potential diagnostic tool for the assessment of myocardial perfusion].

Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) visualizes the spatial distribution of myocardial blood flow with the injection of microbubbles into the coronary artery. With MCE, we can easily assess the perfusion territory of the coronary artery and collateral circulation as positive contrast area and the risk area as contrast defects. In patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we can assess the success of coronary reperfusion at the microcirculation level. Some patients with AMI manifest sizable contrast defects after reperfusion, called no-reflow phenomenon. This phenomenon identifies patients with poor functional and clinical outcomes among reperfused patients. Thus, MCE provided an useful method of assessing myocardial perfusion dynamics as well as myocardial viability in clinical setting.