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Transthoracic ultrasound localization microscopy of myocardial vasculature in patients
Jipeng Yan1, Biao Huang1, Johanna Tonko2
1Ultrasound Lab for Imaging and Sensing, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Nature Biomedical Engineering
|May 6, 2024
Summary
Transthoracic ultrasound localization microscopy can now image tiny heart vessels and blood flow. This breakthrough aids in understanding and managing cardiac microvascular diseases.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Biomedical Engineering
- Microcirculation Research
Background:
- Cardiac microvascular diseases present challenges in diagnosis due to small vessel size and heart motion.
- Current imaging techniques struggle to visualize myocardial microvasculature and hemodynamics effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the feasibility of transthoracic ultrasound localization microscopy for in vivo imaging of myocardial microvasculature and hemodynamics.
- To overcome limitations in imaging small, moving cardiac structures.
Main Methods:
- Developed a customized ultrasound data-acquisition and processing pipeline.
- Utilized a cardiac phased-array probe with motion correction and tracking algorithms.
- Applied super-resolution imaging techniques to reconstruct microcirculation dynamics.
Main Results:
- Successfully imaged myocardial microvasculature and hemodynamics in explanted pig hearts and in human patients.
- Obtained super-resolution images of vascular structure and flow within a single breath hold in four patients.
- Demonstrated the technique's ability to visualize microcirculation even in patients with impaired myocardial function.
Conclusions:
- Transthoracic ultrasound localization microscopy is a feasible method for imaging myocardial microvasculature and hemodynamics.
- This technique offers a potential new tool for understanding cardiac microvascular diseases.
- May improve the management of patients with coronary heart disease symptoms but no obstructive coronary arteries.
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