GE Optison

GE Healthcare Pharmaceutical Diagnostics offers a variety of educational programs related to ultrasound and ultrasound enhancing agents
including Optison™ (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP).
CE credits may be available for eligible recipients from the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS).
New courses are added throughout the year, so be sure to check back frequently!

See Optison Important Safety Information, including Boxed Warning, below.

	The Impact of Contrast Enhancement in Evaluating Left Ventricular Function
Learn how according to the Zhao 2018 publication in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography contrast-enhanced echocardiography has the greatest impact in patients with reduced ejection fractions. This is a product promotional program.

	The Value of Contrast in Echocardiography
Learn about the growth of populations that are difficult to image, society recommendations for the use of an ultrasound enhancing agent (UEA) for suboptimal image quality, and discuss key publications on the impact of UEA use. This is a product promotional program.

	Ultrasound Enhancing Agents Webinar
Dr. Yuchi Han from the University of Pennsylvania presents the physics of microbubbles and how they enhance ultrasound scans, the impact of contrast in out-patient patients with reduced ejection fraction and the clinical management, plus a detailed discussion of her latest publication in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography (JASE). This is a product promotional program.

	A Clear Path Forward – Optison Overview
Attend this program to learn foundational information about Optison including case studies and its clinical utility in technically difficult studies. This is a product promotional program.

	eCourse Module 1: An Introduction to Ultrasound Enhancing Agents
Ultrasound enhancing agents (UEAs) have been available for decades, yet clinical adoption is lower than what society guidelines recommend. This interactive didactic lecture provides an introduction to UEAs presented by Dr. Feinstein who developed the first UEA for use in echocardiology. The module covers foundational information on what UEAs are and why they are used, and well as regulatory updates and what the data reveals about the use of UEAs. Clinical case studies and interactive CheckPoints reinforce key concepts, aiding in maximum retention of the content presented. This is a product promotional program.

	eCourse Module 2: Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Ultrasound Enhancing Agent Utilization
This module begins by illustrating the benefit of Ultrasound Enhancing Agents (UEAs) followed by a discussion of the frequent barriers that prevent the utilization of UEAs on patients who would benefit clinically, and methods to overcome those barriers. Also included is a discussion of how to train your team to increase appropriate UEA usage, how to get UEAs on the formulary at your institution, and ensuring you have the appropriate billing in place. This is a product promotional program.

	Optison Case Studies Series II
Teach through engaging the audience in case study reviews a variety of patient types that had suboptimal echocardiograms and how Optison (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP) was instrumental in opacifying the left ventricle and delineating endocardial borders. This is a product promotional program.

	ASE 2021 Symposium: The Impact of Sonographer-Driven Contrast Administration Protocols on Efficiency and Diagnostic Utility
Support for utilizing ultrasound enhancing agents (UEAs) in echocardiography is strong. Yet many institutions face a variety of challenges utilizing it as frequently as societies recommend. Join our presenters to hear about two recently published studies looking at efficiencies and diagnostic utility of a sonographer-initiated UEA administration protocol, tips from the recently released “Ultrasound Enhancing Agents: Recommended Laboratory Practices from ASE,” and insights into how their institution overcame challenges and achieved efficiencies plus diagnostic utility. This is a product promotional program.

	What Echo Labs Need to Know About PEG
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a common inactive ingredient in a wide array of consumer and medical products, including mRNA COVID vaccines, some ultrasound enhancing agents (UEAs), and certain over-the-counter laxatives. While hypersensitivity to PEG is rare, it requires acute management when it occurs. In this webinar, echocardiologist Dr. Richard L. Weiss and sonographer Rodney T. Jefferson will deepen your knowledge of PEG, discuss how to screen patients for PEG hypersensitivity, recognize its allergy-like symptoms and manage hypersensitivity when it occurs. This is a product promotional program.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE
OPTISON (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP) is indicated for use in patients with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricle and to improve the delineation of the left ventricular endocardial borders.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: SERIOUS CARDIOPULMONARY REACTIONS Serious cardiopulmonary reactions, including fatalities, have occurred uncommonly during or following perflutren-containing microsphere administration.
Most serious reactions occur within 30 minutes of administration
• Assess all patients for the presence of any condition that precludes OPTISON administration
• Always have resuscitation equipment and trained personnel readily available

• CONTRAINDICATION: Do not administer OPTISON to patients with known or suspected hypersensitivity to perflutren or albumin.

• WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS: Serious cardiopulmonary reactions, including fatalities, have occurred uncommonly during or shortly following administration. The risk for these reactions may be increased among patients with unstable cardiopulmonary conditions (acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary artery syndromes, worsening or unstable congestive heart failure, or serious ventricular arrhythmias).

• Serious anaphylactic reactions have been observed during or shortly following perflutren-containing microsphere administration, including shock, hypersensitivity, bronchospasm, throat tightness, angioedema, edema (pharyngeal,palatal, mouth, peripheral, localized), swelling (face, eye, lip, tongue, upper airway), facial hypoesthesia, rash, urticaria, pruritus, flushing, and erythema have occurred in patients with no prior exposure to perflutren-containing microsphere products.

• When administering OPTISON to patients with a cardiac shunt, microspheres can bypass filtering of the lungs and enter the arterial circulation. Assess patients with shunts for embolic phenomena following OPTISON administration.

• High ultrasound mechanical index values may cause microsphere rupture and lead to ventricular arrhythmias. Additionally, end-systolic triggering with high mechanical indices has been reported to cause ventricular arrhythmias. OPTISON is not recommended for use at mechanical indices greater than 0.8.

• This product contains albumin, a derivative of human blood. Based on effective donor screening and product manufacturing processes, it carries an extremely remote risk for transmission of viral disease.

• ADVERSE EVENTS: The most frequently reported adverse reactions in clinical trials were headache, nausea and/or vomiting, warm sensation or flushing and dizziness. Cardiac arrests and other serious but nonfatal adverse reactions were uncommonly reported in post-approval use. Reports also identified neurologic reactions (loss of consciousness or convulsions) as well as anaphylactoid reactions.

Please see the full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning for additional important safety information.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact GE Healthcare at 800 654 0118 (option 2, then option 1), or the FDA at 800 FDA 1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch