Brief communications: visualization of coronary arteries in rats by 3-dimensional real-time contrast echocardiography.
Angiogenesis is under intense investigation to advance the treatment of various ischemic diseases. Small animals, such as mice and rats, are often used for this purpose. However, evaluating the structure of coronary arteries in small animals in situ is not easy. We succeeded in visualizing the coronary artery in rats on 3-dimensional real-time contrast echocardiography using a high-frequency transducer. These methods will be applied for more convenient assessment in a new study, examining issues such as angiogenesis using rats in situ.
Ishikura
Fuminobu
F
School of Allied Health Sciences, Osaka University, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. ishikura@sahs.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Hirayama
Hideo
H
Iwata
Akiko
A
Toshida
Tsutomu
T
Masuda
Kasumi
K
Otani
Kentaro
K
Asanuma
Toshihiko
T
Beppu
Shintaro
S
D000418:Albumins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003199:Computer Systems; D003287:Contrast Media; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000418:Albumins; D003287:Contrast Media; C099458:FS 069; D005466:Fluorocarbons