Ultrasound Enhancing Agents (UEAs) play an important role in improving image quality and diagnostic confidence in echocardiography. Although hypersensitivity reactions to UEAs are extremely rare, echocardiography laboratory staff should be prepared to recognize and appropriately manage these events to support patient safety. This activity will review the clinical presentation of hypersensitivity reactions and discuss how to differentiate them from underlying cardiac symptoms that may present similarly. Practical considerations for patient prescreening and implementation of appropriate response protocols within the echocardiography laboratory will also be discussed.
After completing this activity, participants should be better able to:
- Discuss the incidence of adverse reactions to ultrasound-enhancing agents (UEAs)
- Differentiate mild hypersensitivity reactions from more serious anaphylactic reactions as well as underlying cardiac symptomology that could mimic UEA hypersensitivity reactions
- Review emergency protocols to effectively manage patients with adverse reactions to UEAs
- Summarize echo staff’s role and responsibilities in optimizing patient safety in the echo lab
The content of this CME / SDMS CME webinar is intended for healthcare professionals including physicians, sonographers, imaging nurses, administrators, researchers, and others.
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This CME activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. Northwest Imaging Forums is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. NWIF designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Creditsâ„¢. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Release Date: 02/15/2026 | Expiration Date 02/15/2027
Faculty and Planner Disclosures:
As an accredited provider of continuing medical education, it is the policy of Northwest Imaging Forums, Inc. (NWIF) to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its activities. In accordance with this policy, faculty and planners must disclose any financial relationships with ineligible companies. Additionally, in the event a relevant financial relationship does exist, it is the policy of NWIF to ensure that the relevant financial relationship is mitigated in order to ensure the integrity of the CME activity. The planner has nothing to disclose.
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Jordan B. Strom, MD, MSc, FACC, FASE
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Director, Echocardiography Laboratory
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Section Head, Cardiovascular Imaging Research
Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology
Boston, Massachusetts
Jessica Stout, BS, RDCS, ACS, FASE
Sonographer and Technical Director
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts
Dr. Strom Disclosures:
- Edwards Lifesciences – consulting, grant support
- Ultromics – Scientific Advisory Board
- HeartSciences – Scientific Advisory Board
- Bracco Diagnostics – consulting, grant support
- Anumana – grant support
- General Electric Healthcare – consulting, scientific advisory board
- Phillips Healthcare – grant support, consulting
- ICUS – fiduciary (secretary of board of directors)
- NIH/NHLBI – Grant support (1R01HL169517, 1R01AG063937, 1R01HL173998)
- EchoIQ – grant support, scientific advisory board, equity (< 1% of shares)
- Pfizer – Clinical Endpoint Committee
- EVERSANA – Consulting, Grant support
- Bristol Myers Squibb – Consulting
- Viz.AI – grant support
- Alnyam – scientific advisory board
- Ultrasight – scientific advisory board
- Agitated Solutions – Clinical Endpoint Committee
Dr. Strom reports research grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (1R01HL169517, 1R01HL173998), Edwards Lifesciences, EchoIQ, Anumana, Philips Healthcare, Viz.ai, EVERSANA Lifesciences; consulting for Bracco Diagnostics, Edwards Lifesciences, Philips Healthcare, Ultrasight, General Electric Healthcare, and EVERSANA Lifesciences; clinical endpoint committee for Pfizer and Agitated Solutions, and is a member of the scientific advisory boards for Ultromics, HeartSciences, Bristol Myers Squibb, Alnyam, and EchoIQ.
Jessica Stout Disclosures:
- GE Healthcare – Consultant
- Bracco Diagnostics – Speakers Bureau
