ContrastZone

In an effort to help improve quality and encourage the appropriate use of ultrasound contrast, ASE established this resource page to provide the cardiovascular ultrasound community with a central place to find both basic and advanced information about Ultrasound Enhancing Agents (UEA), also known as ultrasound contrast. This site includes links to recent ASE guidelines and standards, how-to videos, reimbursement information, and success stories from busy labs on how to incorporate UEAs into everyday practice to improve overall quality.

UEA Commissioned Guideline

The inaugural commissioned guideline will focus on a Unified Update on the Clinical Use of Ultrasound-Enhancing Agents. ASE leadership selected this topic because UEAs are an established part of echocardiography practice.

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Guidelines

Clinical Applications of Ultrasonic Enhancing Agents in Echocardiography: 2018 American Society of Echocardiography Guidelines Update

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Noncontrast (left) and real-time very low MI contrast-enhanced (right) images of a patient with an apical mass in whom realtime very low MI imaging delineates both perfusion and nonperfusion due to endomyocardial fibrosis with thrombus formation

Guidelines for the Cardiac Sonographer in the Performance of Contrast Echocardiography: A Focused Update from the American Society of Echocardiography

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Videos and Webinars

How to Perform a Myocardial Perfusion Study

Kevin Wei, MD, FASE from Oregon Health & Science University demonstrates how to prepare the contrast media for use in an cardiac ultrasound study.

Ultrasound Enhancing Agent Safety

Kevin Wei, MD, FASE from Oregon Health and Sciences Center in Portland, OR discusses the safety and clinical utility of ultrasound enhancing agents, including their safety in the general population and special subsets of patients.

How to Administer Contrast

Michelle Bierig, RDCS, FASE and Jeanette Murphy, RN discuss how to draw up and administer contrast media to enhance echocardiograms. Includes information on venting, and three different ways to administer contrast media.

Industry Resources

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Coding for Contrast

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FAQs

Does a physician need to be present when contrast is administered for an echo?

Is it required to get written patient consent for the use of contrast?

A: Written consent is not necessary. Verbal consent (i.e. a discussion of indications, benefits, and potential risks), as with any medication given, is obtained; there is no need for specific documentation of this, unless your institution requires such documentation for all medications given (i.e. a UEA should be handled no differently).

A summary of best practices by various institutions can be found in the appendix of the 2014 sonographer guidelines update (located after the references).