Bryan T. Hackfort

Assistant Professor, Director of Small Animal Ultrasound Core
PhD 2014, Creighton University
Specialty: Cardiovascular Physiology; Ultrasonography
Major Interest: Diaphragm function in chronic heart failure
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Overview of Echocardiography Imaging Facility

The echocardiography imaging facility consists of an Acuson 512C echocardiograph and associated probes (3-5 MHz and 15 MHz linear array), a Visual Sonics Vevo 2100, and a Vevo 3100 with the LAZR-X. Each Vevo machine has probes up to 40 MHz and a resolution of 30 μm. The Vevo systems have injector rails for echo-guided delivery into rodents. Cardiovascular imaging ranges from simple 2D and M mode indices of cardiac function (EF, FS, dimensions, volumes, wall thickness, etc) to assessment of diastolic function (E/A) and pulsed Doppler flow, 4D imaging, and speckle tracking using Vevo Strain. We also offer longitudinal imaging of tumors with available 3D volumetric analysis. Photoacoustic imaging with the LAZR-X uses a laser in the ranges of 680 nm - 970 nm or 1200 nm – 2000 nm to excite a chromagen generating a mechanical signal picked up by ultrasound. This can be used to detect changes in oxygen saturation levels of hemoglobin or other chromagens (ICG, etc). Changes in flow can be monitored using non-linear contrast imaging and microbubbles.
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Click here for a video of a 4D image of the mouse left ventricle, acquired from a parasternal short axis view.

Link to Publications