Table 3.

Contraindications to the Use of Optison, Definity or Sonovue

- Intra-arterial injection

- Right-to-left, bi-directional, or transient right- to-left cardiac shunts

- Worsening or clinically unstable congestive heart failure

- Acutemyocardial infarction or acute coronary syndromes

- Ventricular arrhythmias or high risk for arrhythmias due to QT prolongation

- Respiratory failure, as manifest by signs or symptoms of carbon dioxide retention or hypoxemia

- Severe emphysema, pulmonary emboli or other conditions that cause pulmonary hypertension due to compromised pulmonary arterial vasculature

- Hypersensitivity to perflutren, blood, blood products, or albumin.