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Investigation of the fetal heart circulation in an animal model using contrast enhanced ultrasound

Author

Summary, in English

To assess the distribution of blood from the umbilical vein (UMV), inferior vena cava (IVC) and superior vena cava (SVC) to either side of the fetal lamb heart by using ultrasound enhanced contrast agent imaging. By injection of ultrasound contrast agents (UCA) in UMV, IVC or SVC, the blood from these vessels was tracked, as it then was highly echogenic. By evaluating the image intensity within the heart ventricles, the relative concentrations of blood could be determined. The study was performed in 19 near term fetal lambs of mixed breed, with a mean gestational age of 136 days (range 134-136). Ultrasound contrast agent was injected at a constant rate of 1 ml/min, to ensure that a constant level of contrast agent would be obtained in both sides of the heart. Results: the median percentages of blood distributed to the left ventricle when injecting contrast in UMV, IVC, and SVC, was 68%, 67%, and 21% respectively. These numbers compare well with previously published data, except the recorded percentage distributed from the IVC. This could be a methodological error as well as a result of the mild hypoxia, or an actual increased capacity of the left ventricle at this gestational age

Publishing year

2005

Language

English

Pages

125-126

Publication/Series

Proceedings of the International Federation for Medical & Biomedical Engineering. 13th Nordic Baltic Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics

Document type

Conference paper

Publisher

Int. Federation for Medical and Biological Eng

Topic

  • Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine

Keywords

  • image intensity
  • blood vessel
  • ultrasound contrast agent
  • fetal lamb heart
  • superior vena cava
  • inferior vena cava
  • umbilical vein
  • blood distribution
  • contrast enhanced ultrasound
  • fetal heart circulation investigation
  • animal model
  • heart ventricle
  • blood concentration
  • gestation
  • hypoxia

Conference name

Proceedings of the International Federation for Medical & Biomedical Engineering. 13th Nordic Baltic Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics

Conference date

2005-06-13 - 2005-06-17

Conference place

Umea, Sweden

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 91-7305-910-2