sulfur hexafluoride (SonoVue, Lumason)

Indications

• used as hepatobiliary ultrasound contrast agent for evaluation of uncharacterized liver lesions [NICE]

Dosage

• 2.4 mL (adults) or 0.03 mL/kg, max 2.4 mL (children) IV during ultrasonography of liver
• a 2nd dose may be administered if needed

Mechanism of action

• within blood acoustic impedence of sulfur hexafluoride microspheres is lower than that of surrounding nonaqueous tissue
• this allows reflection of an ultrasound beam from the interface between blood vessels & the surrounding tissue

More general terms

• contrast agent

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=17358