Echocardiographic speckle-tracking based strain imaging for rapid cardiovascular phenotyping in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

High-sensitivity in vivo phenotyping of cardiac function is essential for evaluating genes of interest and novel therapies in small animal models of cardiovascular disease. Transthoracic echocardiography is the principal method currently used for assessing cardiac structure and function; however, standard echocardiographic techniques are relatively insensitive to early or subtle changes in cardiac performance, particularly in mice.

Objective

To develop and validate an echocardiographic strain imaging methodology for sensitive and rapid cardiac phenotyping in small animal models.

Methods and results

Herein, we describe a modified echocardiographic technique that uses speckle-tracking based strain analysis for the noninvasive evaluation of cardiac performance

SUBMITTER: Bauer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3376717 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature