Home › Cell Biology › Ultrasound Imaging of the Thoracic and Abdominal Aorta in Mice to Determine Aneurysm Dimensions
Cell Biology JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Ultrasound Imaging of the Thoracic and Abdominal Aorta in Mice to Determine Aneurysm Dimensions

DOI: 10.3791/59013-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Perform ultrasound imaging of ascending and abdominal aorta in mice
  • ✓ Acquire reproducible two-dimensional aortic measurements for aneurysm assessment
  • ✓ Execute proper mouse preparation and post-scanning care protocols
Protocol

Ultrasound imaging has become a common modality to determine the luminal dimensions of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms in mice. This protocol describes the procedure to acquire reliable and reproducible two-dimensional ultrasound images of the ascending and abdominal aorta in mice.

Difficulty
intermediate
Total time
~20-30 min/mouse
Model organism
Mouse

Steps

1
Prepare mouse for ultrasound imaging

Anesthetize and position the mouse on the ultrasound table. Apply adequate acoustic coupling medium to ensure proper ultrasound transmission and image quality.

▶ 00:38
2
Acquire thoracic aorta ultrasound images

Perform two-dimensional ultrasound imaging of the ascending thoracic aorta using appropriate transducer positioning and standardized imaging planes to obtain reliable luminal dimensions.

▶ 01:33
3
Acquire abdominal aorta ultrasound images

Perform two-dimensional ultrasound imaging of the abdominal aorta using consistent transducer orientation and imaging protocols to measure aneurysm dimensions reproducibly.

▶ 02:25
4
Recover mouse and clean equipment

Monitor anesthetized mouse recovery, remove acoustic coupling medium, and clean ultrasound equipment following standard laboratory protocols.

▶ 03:16
5
Measure and analyze aortic dimensions

Analyze acquired ultrasound images to determine luminal diameters of thoracic and abdominal aortic segments using image analysis software and standardized measurement protocols.

▶ 03:46
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