Doppler Echocardiography for Assessment of Diastolic Function in Mice

Heart failure (HF) is a major global health burden characterized by impaired cardiac function. It may arise from reduced systolic function or abnormal diastolic relaxation, as seen in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Reliable preclinical models and quantitative tools are essential for studying disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Transthoracic echocardiography is a non-invasive imaging modality widely used to measure cardiac structure and function in murine models. This protocol describes a standardized method for performing high-resolution Doppler-based echocardiography in mice using high-frequency (30-40 MHz) transducers under inhaled anesthesia. Animals are positioned on a temperature-controlled platform with continuous monitoring of heart rate, respiration, and body temperature to ensure physiological stability. The workflow includes acquisition of B-mode, M-mode, pulsed-wave Doppler, color Doppler, and tissue Doppler imaging to evaluate left ventricular structure, systolic performance, and conventional diastolic indices. Offline analysis is performed using blinded measurements averaged over multiple cardiac cycles. This method enables reproducible assessment of cardiac function and is suitable for longitudinal studies in murine models of cardiovascular disease.