Comparison of Sulfur Hexafluoride Microbubble (SonoVue)-Enhanced Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography With Gated Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography for Detection of Significant Coronary Artery Disease

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare sulfur hexafluoride microbubble (SonoVue)-enhanced myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) relative to coronary angiography (CA) for assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD). Background Small-scale studies have shown that myocardial perfusion assessed by SonoVue-enhanced MCE is a viable alternative to SPECT for CAD assessment. However, large multicenter studies are lacking. Methods Patients referred for myocardial ischemia testing at 34 centers underwent rest/vasodilator SonoVue-enhanced flash-replenishment MCE, standard Tc-99m-labeled electrocardiography-gated SPECT, and quanti…