Ultrasonic instrumentation for cardiovascular studies

描述（由申请人提供）：我们的总体目标是开发用于评估人类和人类疾病动物模型心血管生理学和功能的超声仪器、换能器和技术；以及条件，最近我们一直致力于在老鼠身上的应用。统一的主题是使能技术的发展，包括简单的，非侵入性的方法，研究人员可以使用这些方法纵向跟踪心血管反应，随着模型的发展，成熟和应对挑战，并快速筛选大量小鼠。在此更新中，我们提出以下具体目标：1)开发用于测量小鼠外周动脉（颈动脉）血流速度和/或血管壁运动的多门脉冲多普勒模块。2)研制多通道多普勒信号处理器，对同时采集的多个速度和维数信号进行采集和处理。3)开发和验证从无创获取的速度和直径信号计算动脉参数的算法。4a)利用新的设备、信号处理和算法，研究几种心血管疾病突变模型中动脉波的传播和反射。4b)描述横向主动脉收缩小鼠的左右颈动脉差异重塑，在同一小鼠中产生高脉动（右）和几乎稳定（左）的压力和流量。5)研制食管电极及无创心房起搏控制小鼠心率的方法。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生长、成熟和发育期间进行无创串行测量，并具有快速筛选的潜力。当在小鼠中得到验证时，一般概念可能在人类中有诊断应用，并可纳入临床超声扫描仪。

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.