Published online Sep 20, 2025. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v15.i3.100490
Revised: December 14, 2024
Accepted: December 20, 2024
Published online: September 20, 2025
Processing time: 200 Days and 5.5 Hours
Conventional echocardiography can sometimes pose a challenge to diagnosis due to sub-optimal images. Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) have been shown to drastically enhance imaging quality, particularly depicting the left ventricular endocardial borders. Their use during echocardiography has become a valuable tool in non-invasive diagnostics. UCAs provide higher-quality images that may ultimately reduce the length of hospital stays and improve patient care. The higher cost associated with UCAs in many situations has been an impediment to frequent use. However, when used as an initial diagnostic test, UCA during rest echocardiogram is more cost-effective than the traditional diagnostic approach, which frequently includes multiple tests and imaging studies to make an accurate diagnosis. They can be easily performed across multiple patient settings and provide optimal images that allow clinicians to make sound medical decisions. This consequently allows for better diagnostic accuracies and improvement in patient care.
Core Tip: The use of ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) during resting echocardiography can improve diagnostic accuracy by adequately assessing left ventricular (LV) function. Compared to standard echocardiograms, UCAs, when used, allow physicians to better assess regional wall motion abnormalities and LV ejection fraction. As a result, patients with LV apex disease can be accurately diagnosed without additional imaging. This consequently shortens hospital stays and improves patient outcomes.