Up to 20% of resting echocardiograms obtained are suboptimal leading to further downstream testing and delays in diagnosis. Contrast enhanced echocardiography is well established and endorsed for use by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) in clinical scenarios when 2 or more adjacent wall segments are not well visualized; however, varied institutional protocols and practices in place limit such use due to increased time and personnel needed to obtain such imaging. The purpose of this study was to determineif sonographer administered echo contrast led to decreased time to complete inpatient echocardiography exams when compared to the current institutional policy of having a registered nurse perform administration of contrast via a case-control approach. Sonographers received a one-day training course on the techniques for contrast administration. Baseline completion times (time from 1st image to last image) were reviewed in studies from March 2015 to May 2015. Sonographers who received training began self-administration of contrast the first week of June 2015. After a familiarization period, study completion times were recorded from September 2015 to December 2015 and compared to those during the baseline phase. Sonographers were not informed that they were being monitored. Patients and the public were not involved in the design or conduct of our study. A total of 320 patients were included for analysis. Time spent obtaining contrast enhanced imaging was not significant between the two groups (p = 0.67). Time spent to complete each echocardiogram (time from first echocardiogram image to the last contrast enhanced echocardiogram image) was significant between the two groups (37.5 ± 10.9 min sonographer administered v 49.6 ± 12.5 min in nurse administered group, p < 0.001). Utilizing a sonographer administered echo enhancement protocol results in reduced over 12 min of time saved per study.

中文翻译：

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在实施超声医师启动的基于全氟尿苷的造影剂给药方案后，提高住院患者经胸超声心动图的效率和诊断效用。

获得的静息超声心动图高达 20% 是次优的，导致进一步的下游测试和诊断延迟。对比增强超声心动图已被美国超声心动图学会 (ASE) 广泛认可并认可用于当 2 个或更多相邻壁段不能很好地显示时的临床情况；然而，由于获得此类成像所需的时间和人员增加，各种机构协议和实践限制了此类使用。本研究的目的是确定与让注册护士通过病例对照方法进行造影剂管理的现行制度政策相比，超声医师实施的超声造影剂是否导致完成住院超声心动图检查的时间减少。超声医师接受了为期一天的造影剂管理技术培训课程。基线完成时间（从第一张图像到最后一张图像的时间）在 2015 年 3 月至 2015 年 5 月的研究中进行了审查。接受培训的超声医师在 2015 年 6 月的第一周开始自我管理造影剂。熟悉期​​后，研究完成时间被记录从 2015 年 9 月到 2015 年 12 月，并与基线阶段进行比较。超声医师没有被告知他们正在被监测。患者和公众未参与我们研究的设计或实施。共纳入 320 名患者进行分析。两组之间获得对比增强成像所花费的时间不显着（p = 0.67）。完成每张超声心动图所用的时间（从第一张超声心动图图像到最后一张对比增强超声心动图图像的时间）在两组之间是显着的（37.5 ± 10.9 分钟超声检查员管理 v 49.6 ± 12.5 分钟护士管理组，p < 0.001）。使用超声医师管理的回声增强协议，每项研究可节省超过 12 分钟的时间。