Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 9, 2025
Two-Dimensional Super-Resolution Visualization of Rat Brain Microvasculature Using Ultrasound Localization Microscopy
Published on: March 28, 2025
Identification of brain structures and blood vessels by conventional ultrasound in rats
Mari Carmen Gómez-de Frutos1, Iván García-Suárez2, Fernando Laso-García1
1Neurological Sciences and Cerebrovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, La Paz University Hospital, Neuroscience Area of IdiPAZ Health Research Institute, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Background:
Ultrasound is a safe, non-invasive and affordable imaging technique for the visualization of internal structures and the measurement of blood velocity using Doppler imaging. However, despite all these advantages, no study has identified the structures of the rat brain using conventional ultrasound.
Methods:
A 13 MHz high frequency transducer was used to identify brain structures in the rat. The enlargement of the transcranial window was performed gradually using the ultrasound directly on the skin of the animal, then against the skull, then through a delimited craniotomy and finally through a complete craniotomy.
Results:
Our results showed that ultrasound allowed the identification of cerebral ventricles and subarachnoid cisterns, as well as the analysis of real-time monitoring of cerebral blood flow in the main brain arteries of the rat.
Comparison With Existing Methods:
Ultrasound is a tool with the potential to identify brain structures and blood vessels. In contrast to MRI, transcranial ultrasound is a fast, non-invasive, well tolerated and low-cost method and can be done at the bedside.
Conclusion:
In the present study, we described an atlas of the main brain structures as well as the main vasculature in the rat using ultrasound. This technique could be applied in animal models of various neurological diseases.
