Echo society guides ultrasound contrast use

November 19, 2008 Echo society guides ultrasound contrast use By Greg Freiherr Ultrasound contrast agents took a hit on the chin a year ago when the FDA decided to issue a black-box label for them warning physicians of potentially fatal reactions. The black-box labeling of the echocardiography agents was imposed after more than 100 cases of serious cardiopulmonary reactions and at least four deaths from cardiac arrest were reported during their administration. In spring, the label was modified to focus on contraindications for patients with known or suspected right-to-left, bidirectional, or transient right-to-left cardiac shunts and hypersensitivity to perflutren, the main ingredient of the microsphere agents. Intra-arterial injection remains banned.

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