Ultrasonic instrumentation for cardiovascular studies

描述(由申请人提供)：我们的总体目标是开发超声仪器、换能器和技术，用于在人类和人类疾病的动物模型中评估心血管生理和功能；以及条件，最近我们一直在努力将我们的努力应用于小鼠。统一的主题是开发由简单、非侵入性方法组成的使能技术，研究人员可以使用这些方法在模型发展、成熟和应对挑战时纵向跟踪心血管反应，并快速筛查大量小鼠。在这次更新中，我们提出了以下具体目标：1)开发一个多门脉冲多普勒模块，用于测量小鼠外周(颈动脉)的血流速度和/或血管壁运动。2)研制了多通道多普勒信号处理机，对多路同时采集的速度信号和多维信号进行采集和处理。3)开发并验证了从非侵入性采集的速度和直径信号计算动脉参数的算法。4a)使用新的设备、信号处理和算法来研究动脉波在几种心血管疾病突变模型中的传播和反射。4b)描述了在同一小鼠中，具有高度搏动性(右)和近乎稳定(左)的压力和流量的横状主动脉狭窄的小鼠右颈动脉和左颈动脉的不同重构。5)研制无创心房起搏的食道电极和方法，以控制小鼠的心率。传感器、仪器、信号处理和算法将允许在正常和基因工程小鼠的生长、成熟和发育过程中进行非侵入性的连续测量，并有可能进行快速筛查。当在小鼠身上得到验证时，这些一般概念可能会在人类身上应用于诊断，并可能被整合到临床超声扫描仪中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our general goals have been to develop ultrasonic instrumentation, transducers, and techniques for evaluation of cardiovascular physiology and function in man and in animal models of human diseases;and conditions, and recently we have been directing our efforts toward applications in mice. The unifying theme is the development of enabling technology consisting of simple, noninvasive methods which can be used by investigators to follow cardiovascular responses longitudinally as models develop, mature, and respond to challenges, and to quickly screen large numbers of mice. In this renewal we propose the following specific aims: 1) Develop a multigate pulsed Doppler module for measuring blood velocity and/or vessel wall motion in peripheral (carotid) arteries of mice. 2) Develop a multichannel Doppler signal processor to acquire and process multiple velocity and dimension signals taken simultaneously. 3) Develop and validate algorithms for calculating arterial parameters from noninvasively acquired velocity and diamete signals. 4a) Use the new devices, signal processing, and algorithms, to study arterial wave propagation and reflections in several mutant models of cardiovascular conditions. 4b) Characterize the differential remodeling of right and left carotid arteries in mice with a transverse aortic constriction producing highly pulsatile (right) and nearly steady (left) pressure and flow in the same mouse. 5) Develop esophageal electrodes and methods for noninvasive atrial pacing to control heart rate in mice. The sensors, instrumentation, signal processing, and algorithms will permit noninvasive serial measurements to be made in normal and genetically engineered mice during growth, maturation, and development with the potential for rapid screening. When validated in mice, the general concepts may have diagnostic applications in man and could be incorporated in to a clinical ultrasound scanner.