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Contrast Echocardiography
Echocardiography performed with intravenous ultrasound-enhancing agent to improve endocardial border definition. Used when standard images are sub-optimal.
Ultrasound-enhancing agents (UEAs) are microbubble suspensions injected intravenously that resonate strongly to ultrasound and opacify the LV cavity. They are particularly useful for accurate LVEF assessment in patients with poor acoustic windows (obese, ventilated, COPD).
Contrast also enables myocardial perfusion imaging during stress echo, expanding the modality’s sensitivity for inducible ischaemia.
Contrast echo carries distinct billing codes in most reimbursement schemes (e.g. HCPCS C8929 in the US hospital-outpatient setting, CCAM DZQJ009 in France).