MULTIDIMENSIONAL ULTRASONIC-IMAGING AND TISSUE CHARACTERIZATION

Myocardial ischemia can be studied using multidimensional parametric or material property images of the heart obtained using ultrasound. We describe methods suitable for both in vitro and in vivo evaluation of hearts from experimental animals and for in vivo human hearts. Regions of ischemia can be seen as early as 5 minutes after the blood flow has been terminated by tying off arteries supplying those regions of the myocardium. Multidimensional relationships among ultrasonically measurable parameters can be deduced visually using specialized three-dimensional imaging techniques.