A high-frame rate duplex ultrasound biomicroscopy for small animal imaging in vivo.

Much of the current knowledge of human cardiovascular pathologies and treatment strategies has been gained from understanding the cardiac physiologies and functions in small animal models, such as mice, rats, and zebrafish. In this paper, we present the development of a high-frame-rate duplex ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) capable of B-mode imaging and pulsed-wave (PW) Doppler measurement for in vivo cardiovascular investigation in small animals. A frame rate of 200 frames per second (fps) was accomplished at a view of 5 mm x 8 mm, using a novel high-speed sector probe and specially designed lightweight transducers.

A high-frame rate high-frequency ultrasonic system for cardiac imaging in mice.

We report the development of a high-frequency (30-50 MHz), real-time ultrasonic imaging system for cardiac imaging in mice. This system is capable of producing images at 130 frames per second (fps) with a spatial resolution of less than 50 microm. A novel mechanical sector probe was developed that utilizes a magnetic drive mechanism and custom-built servo controller for high speed and accuracy.