Perflutren lipid microsphere

Perflutren lipid microsphere is a diagnostic ultrasound contrast agent consisting of octafluoropropane gas encapsulated within a lipid shell. It is primarily indicated for use in patients with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricular chamber and improve the delineation of the endocardial border [5, 19]. When administered intravenously, the microspheres circulate through the vasculature and act as efficient reflectors of ultrasound waves due to the significant difference in acoustic impedance between the gas core and the surrounding blood [4, 10]. This enhancement allows clinicians to obtain high-resolution images of cardiac structures and assess ventricular function more accurately [3, 7]. Beyond its primary use in cardiology, perflutren lipid microspheres are also employed for the evaluation of focal lesions in the liver and kidneys [5, 11]. The microspheres exhibit nonlinear oscillation when exposed to ultrasound, which can be used to generate harmonic frequencies for improved image clarity [3, 12]. While generally safe, the agent is associated with rare but serious risks, including cardiopulmonary reactions and anaphylaxis [20]. It does not interact with a specific biological receptor but rather functions through its physical acoustic properties within the blood pool [4, 6].

Other names

DefinityLuminityDMP 115Octafluoropropane-lipid microspheresLiposome-encapsulated perfluoropropane microspheres

Perflutren lipid microspheres function as an ultrasound contrast agent by providing microbubbles that circulate in the blood pool. These microbubbles reflect ultrasound waves due to the significant difference in acoustic impedance between the encapsulated octafluoropropane gas and the surrounding blood and tissues, thereby enhancing the echogenicity of the blood and improving the visualization of cardiac and vascular structures [3, 4, 7].