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Mouse Heart Imaging |
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| The mouse is the preferred species for
cardiovascular research of both the genetic mechanisms that underpin cardiovascular
disease and the evolution of anatomic and phsyiological responses to disease
and therapy. One current method for non-invasive mouse imaging (MRI) has
excellent image qualities but it has a number of significant drawbacks:
high cost, poor temporal resolution and low throughput. We are researching
an ultrasound method that provides accurate, low-cost, fast and non-invasive
quantification of cardiac left ventricular (LV) function in small animals.
The spatial resolution is sufficient to enable calculation of important
anatomic and physiologic parameters (chamber volumes, ejection fraction
etc.) Furthermore, we take advantage of the superior temporal resolution
to enable assessment of mouse LV perfusion using analysis of the time evolution
of myocardial video intensity following a bolus contrast agent injection.
This work is currently supported by a grant from the University of Virginia CVRC Heart Center Partners Fund and by a grant from the NIH (EB 01826) |
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left ventricle. The valves are located above this image and the apex is at the lowest end. The papillary muscles are visible as vertical running indentations on the front side |
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