Cardiac imaging: the biological effects of diagnostic cardiac ultrasound.
Diagnostic cardiac ultrasounds are an environment-friendly and non-ionising imaging technology. However, ultrasounds are not biologically inert, and their use might have profound clinical impact. This paper summarizes the known effects of cardiac ultrasound--compared to other major imaging techniques--to exposed patients and to clinically exposed physicians practising ultrasound imaging. Furthermore, this review also provides an overview of the evidences on the biological effects of diagnostic ultrasound--which suggest that ultrasound with frequency, intensity and duration fully in the diagnostic range have significant molecular, cellular and organ effects. A better understanding of these effects may improve our understanding of the complex interactions between ultrasound and biological tissues and may open new avenues to therapeutic applications based on the ultrasound-modulated cell functions, such as membrane transduction, apoptosis, cell permeability and thrombolysis.
Andreassi
Maria Grazia
MG
CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy. andreas@ifc.cnr.it
Venneri
Lucia
L
Picano
Eugenio
E
D004452:Echocardiography / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008503:Medical Staff; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018570:Risk Assessment