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Cardiovascular Screen

Introduction

For functional testing of the vascular system and detection of cardiac pathologies in Mutant Mouse Lines (MMLs) innovative techniques and miniaturized classical physiological procedures are applied to achieve a non-invasive analysis of cardiovascular structure and function.

We have implemented an experimental set up, which enables us to perform high throughput non-invasive transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiography on mice. Examinations are performed on conscious mice to avoid any impairment of cardiac function due to anesthesia.

Primary Screen

Transthoracic echocardiography is performed in awake mice to systematically evaluate heart rate, respiration rate, systolic- and diastolic left ventricular interior diameter (LVID), systolic- and diastolic thickness of the interventricular septum (IVS) and left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW).

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a recording of the electrical activity of the heart with surface electrodes. ECG’s are specifically used to analyse cardiac rhythms, conduction and repolarisation patterns within mice.

During the final examination the heart weight is taken and the heart to body weight ratio as well as the heart to tibia length ratio is determined.

Secondary Screen

Depending on the results of the Primary Screen cardiovascular functions will be re-checked and completed by additional parameters.

By Echocardiography, blood flow quantification and identification of anatomical structures in Color and Power Doppler Modes can be performed