Drug Groups

approved

Description

Perflutren, a diagnostic drug that is intended to be used for contrast enhancement during the indicated echocardiographic procedures, is comprised of lipid-coated microspheres filled with octafluoropropane(OFP) gas. When exposed to ultrasound waves, the microspheres resonate and "echo" strong signals back to the ultrasound machine. The difference in density between the gas-filled bubbles and the blood around them creates an increased level of contrast visible in the resulting ultrasound image. During echocardiography, activated Perflutren enhances images of the inner edges or borders of the heart, producing an improved image that may enable physicians to better diagnose patients.

Indication

Use in patients with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricular chamber and to improve the delineation of the left ventricular endocardial border.

Pharmacology

Perflutren, a diagnostic drug that is intended to be used for contrast enhancement during the indicated echocardiographic procedures, comprised of lipid-coated microspheres filled with octafluoropropane(OFP) gas. It provide contrast enhancement of the endocardial borders during echocardiography. The perflutren lipid microspheres exhibit lower acoustic impedance than blood and enhance the intrinsic backscatter of blood.

Affected Organisms

Biotransformation

OFP is not metabolized. The phospholipid components of the microspheres are thought to be metabolized to free fatty acids.

Half Life

The mean half-life of OFP in blood 1.9 minutes

External Links