New Contrast Dye with Few Side Effects Available for Echocardiograms

A new contrast dye used for diagnosis in echocardiograms has shown promise, according to the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), and low risk of side effects.

An echocardiogram is a test in which ultrasound “is used to examine the heart”, according to heartsite.com. An echocardiogram shows the size of the chambers of the heart (their appearance can indicate heart problems) and how the blood is pumping through the heart, according to the website.

The dye, Optison, was tolerated well by men in the study and was less soluble in blood, making the contrast more vivid and lasting longer, according to staff writers at medimagingnet.com.

Originally introduced in 1998, Optison, which is made by GE, was reintroduced last year after the company experienced manufacturing problems in 2009.

A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, as posted at sciencedaily.com, found that, in a study of over 200 men with heart or lung disease, the frequency of side effects using Optison (which is usually used in eye surgery) was low.

“These results should provide encouragement for patients and clinicians about the safety and tolerability of Optison,” Michael Main, M.D., of Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, lead author of the study, was quoted as saying in the medimagingnet.com story. “Optison provides a quick and convenient contrast option for improving suboptimal echocardiograms of the heart's left ventricle in patients.” Optison is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as an ultrasound contrast agent, according to medimagingnet.com, and takes only 60 seconds to prepare. The site notes that it is “stable at room temperature for up to 24 hours,” which makes it possible to get access to heart images quickly, as needed – “at the bedside, in the echocardiogram lab or in trauma situations.”