title: Specific contrast ultrasound using sterically stabilized microbubbles for early diagnosis of thromboembolic disease in a rabbit model.
abstract: Specific contrast ultrasound is widely applied in diagnostic procedures on humans but remains underused in veterinary medicine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of microbubble-based contrast for rapid ultrasonographic diagnosis of thrombosis in small animals, using male New Zealand white rabbits (average weight about 3.5 kg) as a model. It was hypothesized that the use of microbubble-based contrast agents will result in a faster and more precise diagnosis in our model of thrombosis. A pro-coagulant environment had been previously established by combining endothelial denudation and external vessel wall damage. Visualization of thrombi was achieved by application of contrast microbubbles [sterically stabilized, phospholipid-based microbubbles filled with sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) gas] and ultrasonography. As a result, rapid and clear diagnosis of thrombi in aorta abdominalis was achieved within 10 to 30 s (mean: 17.3 s) by applying microbubbles as an ultrasound contrast medium. In the control group, diagnosis was not possible or took 90 to 180 s. Therefore, sterically stabilized microbubbles were found to be a suitable contrast agent for the rapid diagnosis of thrombi in an experimental model in rabbits. This contrast agent could be of practical importance in small animal practice for rapid diagnosis of thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vlašín
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lukáč
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kauerová
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kohout
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mašek
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Eliška
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bartheldyová
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Štěpán
authors.initials: Š
authors.lastname: Koudelka
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Zina
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Korvasová
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plocková
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hronová
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová); Department of Pharmacology, and Immunotherapy, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic (Lukáč, Kauerová, Mašek, Bartheldyová, Koudelka, Korvasová, Plocková, Turánek); Section of Small Animal Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic (Vlašín, Kohout, Hronová).
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turánek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D003287:Contrast Media; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D045423:Microbubbles / Q000662:veterinary*; D011817:Rabbits; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride