Assessment of left ventricular function with contrast echocardiography

Echocardiography continues to be the primary noninvasive imaging modality for the assessment of cardiac structure and function because of significant advances in ultrasound imaging technology over the last two decades, yet quantification of the left ventricular function has remained an elusive goal. The introduction of contrast agents has represented a major advance in clinicians' ability to visualize the endocardium and to assess left ventricular function accurately, particularly in patients who have poor acoustic windows. Ongoing and future refinements in imaging technology used with contrast enhancement have placed automated quantification of left ventricular function on the brink of widespread clinical use.