Ch 7a Contrast Agents Flashcards
What is a contrast agent?
A substance introduced to the body that allows the area of interest to stand out from other regions
What type of contrast agent is used in fluoro/xray?
Barium
What type of contrast agent is used in CT?
Iodinated contrast
What type of contrast agent is used in MRI?
Gadolinium
What type of contrast agent is used in u/s?
Microbubbles
Do we use contrast agents often in u/s?
No, m/c used in cardiac
How are u/s contrast agents administered to the pt?
They are injectable
What do u/s contrast agents consist of?
A solution containing gas filled microbubbles 1-4 microns in size
What do microbubbles consist of?
A shell + a gas core
Microbubble shells can be composed of what 4 things?
Albumin, galactose, lipid or polymers
Gas cores can be composed of what 3 things?
Air, nitrogen or heavy gases (such as perfluorocarbon)
Contrast agents are injected into what part of the body? It passes through which circulatory system?
-A peripheral vein
-Passes through systemic circulation
The u/s microbubbles are taken up by the immune system + what other organs over time (6-8 min)?
The liver + spleen
As the microbubbles pass through the u/s window, they act as strong or weak reflectors?
Strong (relative to the blood + tissue)
What type of echoes are produced when the microbubbles pass through the u/s window?
Harmonic echoes are produced as they expand + contract
The harmonic frequencies that get produced as the microbubbles pass through the u/s window produce what?
Produce contrast harmonic imaging
What is the mechanical index (MI) of u/s contrast agents?
0.1 - 0.2 MI
What can lengthen the duration of the u/s contrast effect?
Encapsulation of the gas will slow its diffusion back into the solution, therefore lengthening the duration
What is flash mode of an u/s contrast agent?
It is a short u/s pulse with a very high MI, resulting in almost complete destruction of the contrast agent microbubbles in the imaging plane