Three-dimensional reconstruction of coronary arteriole plexus image by contrast echocardiography using a high-frequency transducer.
OBJECTIVE
This study was established to examine the efficacy of a high-frequency liner probe for visualizing fine anatomy of coronary microcirculation.


METHODS
The vessel size and its velocity-time integral at the anterior wall in dogs by real-time contrast echocardiography with high-frequency liner probe and pulse Doppler methods, and the coronary flow volume, were measured before and after adenosine triphosphate injection. A 3-dimensional (3D) image was reconstructed by the built-in 3D system using intermittent flash echocardiographic images.


RESULTS
The increments of flow volume calculated from vessel sizes and velocity-time integral were well correlated with those of coronary flow volume. Using intermittent flash echocardiographic images, fine dots and lines of contrast echocardiographic-expected arterioles were evident, and easily and quickly reconstructed as coronary plexus by 3D system.


CONCLUSIONS
A high-frequency liner probe provides the fine-vessel images to evaluate those morphologic changes; a 3D reconstruction image could provide new information about coronary arterioles.
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
Toshida
Tsutomu
T
Iwata
Akiko
A
Otani
Kentaro
K
Asanuma
Toshihiko
T
Beppu
Shintaro
S
D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors; D014159:Transducers