(AE) Induced acoustic emission is an effect of ultrasound contrast agents, presenting the interaction between the agent and the incident ultrasound wave.
Microbubbles break down in high-amplitude diagnostic ultrasound energy. The bubble rupture produces a transient pressure wave, which results in a characteristic mosaic pattern from tissues containing the agent. It is important to note that the color patterns of induced acoustic emission do not represent flow signals.

Ultrasound contrast agents (USCAs) improve the sensitivity of various ultrasound applications. They usually stay within the vascular space and can be injected several times. Nevertheless the contrast enhancement is limited caused by physiologic clearance and bubble destruction.

Different injection techniques to improve the imaging:
Continuous infusion yield a steady-state concentration of the USCAs, greater examination time with optimal enhancement, avoid bloom and possibly other artifacts. Continuous infusion also allows the sonographer to optimize the effective dose individually during the examination.

See also Power Modulation.

Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc. engages in discovering, developing, and marketing medical imaging agents. Lantheus Medical Imaging has headquarters in North Billerica, Massachusetts, and offices in Puerto Rico, Canada, and Australia. During its history, the company launched the products Cardiolite (Technetium Tc99m Sestamibi Preparation Kit), which has become the gold standard for use in myocardial perfusion imaging, and Definity (perflutren lipid microsphere) for use in suboptimal echocardiograms.
From 2001 to 2008 Lantheus was part of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging, Inc. group.

Ultrasound Contrast Agents:

(LVO) Ultrasound contrast agents improve the echocardiography assessment of left ventricular function and the low sensitivity of changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). In addition, harmonic imaging techniques and automated border detection (ABD) together with contrast enhanced left ventricular opacification increase endocardial border delineation (EBD) and the results compared to native echocardiography.

From Bayer Schering Pharma AG:
Available in Europe since 1996 and in Japan since 1999. Currently, the marketing situation is unclear.
Levovist® is a first generation USCA consisting of galactose (milk sugar) ground into tiny crystals whose irregular surfaces act as nidation sites on which air pockets form when it is suspended in water, much as soda water bubbles form at small irregularities on the surface of the glass. A trace of palmitic acid is added as a surfactant to stabilize the resultant microbubbles. When Levovist® dissolves in blood, air trapped inside the galactose is released as free gas bubbles. These bubbles have a weak encapsulating shell and are easily destroyed by ultrasound.
Different contrast ultrasonography methods have been developed since the introduction of Levovist®. Initially, Levovist® was an echo contrast medium for improving sensitivity in color Doppler and Power Doppler examinations, but was found to suffer from significant blooming, making it difficult to observe small blood vessels. However, Levovist® improves the accuracy of echocardiographic examinations in such indications as assessment of left ventricular function.
In addition to their vascular phase, some ultrasound contrast agents (USCAs) can exhibit a tissue- or organ-specific phase. Levovist® can accumulate within the liver and the spleen for up to 20 min once it has disappeared from the blood pool and improves the detectability of focal liver lesions and allows more reliable control of interventional tumor treatments. Varied types of information can be obtained by applying contrast imaging at different times after the injection using Levovist® in both the arterial phase and the late organ-specific phase.
1 g Levovist® granules contain 999 mg D-galactose and 1 mg palmitic acid.
Brand names in other countries: Levovist/Levograf