title: Intraoperative epicardial coronary artery imaging: rationale, methods, and applications.
abstract: Epicardial coronary imaging using high frequency (7-12 MHz) ultrasound probes could aid the surgeon performing coronary artery bypass procedures by localizing the coronary artery segments underneath epicardial fat, identifying the site of coronary stenosis to be bypassed, evaluating the integrity of distal coronary artery, assessing the efficacy of anastomosis, and detecting anastomotic complications. While an ideal coronary imaging probe is yet to be developed, early clinical experience with vascular imaging probes applied on the coronary vessels suggests that epicardial coronary artery imaging could enhance the optimum performance of coronary interventions. Fabrication of a flexible high frequency probe that could be applied not only on the arteries on the anterior surface of the heart but also on the lateral and posterior surfaces could facilitate development of newer surgical procedures as well.
authors.affiliation: The Cardiovascular Imaging and hemodynamic Laboratory, New England Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA. npandian@lifespan.org
authors.forename: Yan-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Kamal R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Khabbaz
authors.forename: Darshak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karia
authors.forename: Davida A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Castro
authors.forename: Natesa G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Pandian
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*