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，以评估人类和人类疾病和状况的动物模型中的心血管生理和功能，最近我们一直在努力将我们的努力应用于高空间和时间分辨率至关重要的小鼠身上。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)开发一台多通道、多门、多频直流耦合脉冲多普勒主机和模块，用于测量小鼠中央动脉(心脏和主动脉)和外周(颈动脉和冠状动脉)的血流速度和/或组织运动。2)开发和优化信号处理，以从同时采集的多个速度和维度信号中获取、处理、显示和生成波形和指数。3)完善了评价节段性动脉容积搏动的双速方法。4)使用速度和直径信号来表征动脉波的传播、力学和反射。5)在几种小鼠模型上研究冠脉血流速度波形，储备和验证异氟醚作为冠脉扩张剂的作用。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。当在小鼠身上验证时，许多一般概念可能在人类身上具有诊断应用，并可以被整合到临床超声扫描仪中。与公共卫生相关：小鼠正被用于医学研究，以研究基因如何控制心脏和血管的结构和操作，以及衰老和类似人类的疾病如何影响它们的功能。由于老鼠的心脏只有小花生大小，跳动非常快，因此很难成像，很难检测血管堵塞，也很难使用标准方法详细测量心脏的收缩和运动。我们的目标是开发和改进高分辨率超声波传感器和设备，以测量用于医学研究的小鼠非常小的心脏和血管中的血流和运动。

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 where high spatial and temporal resolutions are critical. 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 multichannel, multigate, multifrequency DC coupled pulsed Doppler mainframe and modules for measuring blood velocity and/or tissue motion in central (heart and aorta) and peripheral (carotid and coronary) arteries of mice. 2) Develop and optimize signal processing to acquire, process, display, and generate waveforms and indices from multiple velocity and dimension signals taken simultaneously. 3) Perfect a dual-velocity method to assess segmental arterial volume pulsations. 4) Use velocity and diameter signals to characterize arterial wave propagation, mechanics, and reflections. 5) Study coronary flow velocity waveforms and reserve and validate the use of isoflurane as a coronary vasodilator in several mouse models. 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, many of the general concepts may have diagnostic applications in man and could be incorporated into clinical ultrasound scanners. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Mice are being used in medical research to study how genes control the structure and operation of the heart and blood vessel and how aging and human-like diseases affect their function. Because the mouse heart is the size of a small peanut and beats very fast, it is difficult to make images, to detect blockages in vessels, or to take detailed measurements of heart contraction and motion using standard methods. Our goal is to develop and improve high resolution ultrasonic sensors and devices to measure blood flow and motion in the very small hearts and blood vessels of mice used in medical research.