Scoping Review of Targeted Ultrasound Contrast Agents in the Detection of Myocardial Ischemia

Objective: A systematic search was conducted to categorize targeted ultrasound contrast agents used in the detection of myocardial ischemia.Methods: The search identified 14 primary research articles published from 2000 to August 2019 that fulfilled the selection criteria. All studies were conducted in animal models ranging from mice to rhesus monkeys, with the most common targets being P-selectin and E-selectin.Results: These studies show that targeted ultrasound contrast agents produced greater signal enhancement in regions with prolonged ischemia and maintained enhancement hours after reperfusion.Conclusion: This review identified gaps in the literature, such as a need for comparative studies among different molecular markers and between current standard of care with the use of targeted contrast agents in cardiac ultrasound.