Live real-time three-dimensional echocardiography for the visualization of myocardial perfusion--a pilot study in open-chest pigs.

Visualization of myocardial perfusion is possible in both 2-dimensional and from reconstructive 3-dimensional echocardiography. We present the findings of our experimental pilot study of myocardial perfusion detection using live real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography in an animal model.

The use of live three-dimensional Doppler echocardiography in the measurement of cardiac output: an in vivo animal study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cardiac output (CO) could be accurately computed from live three-dimensional (3-D) Doppler echocardiographic data in an acute open-chested animal preparation.

Background: The accurate measurement of CO is important in both patient management and research. Current methods use invasive pulmonary artery catheters or two-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography or esophageal aortic Doppler measures, with the inherent risks and inaccuracies of these techniques.