September 15, 2023 — Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is underutilized in the United States, and reduced access to this noninvasive diagnostic imaging tool may pose a greater risk to patients than rare side effects associated with use, according to doctors who spoke today at the 37th International Bubble Conference in Chicago.  The conference drew CEUS experts from North America, Europe, China and Brazil, and focused on advances in the use of “microbubble” ultrasound enhancing agents (UEAs) used routinely worldwide to diagnose heart and vascular disease, identify and characterize tumors, monitor chronic gastro-intestinal diseases, evaluate other serious medical conditions and monitor therapy. UEAs do not contain dye, create no known risk of kidney damage or deposit of contrast media in the brain, and do not expose patients or hospital staff to ionizing radiation.  “CEUS is among the safest of contrast media available,” according to Dr. Strom, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Ha