High-Frequency Ultrasound Echocardiography of heart activity of Danio rerio Embryo

The heart of Danio rerio embryo at the age of 40-48 hours after fertilization was studied by high frequency ultrasonic approach. An impulse scanning acoustic microscope with a frequency range of 50–100 MHz and a spatial resolution of 0.02 mm was used to record spatio-temporal signals on an embryo immersed in the working cell microscope. The data frames (M– scans) recorded for 3 s at different points in the heart region showed the movement of the wall and blood elements. The wall and blood responses were separated in the data by digital filtering, and the maximal blood flow speed at the diastole phase was found to be 1.5 mm per second. It was shown that the period of the heartbeat increases during 2–hour experiment. At the beginning of this observation period, periodic arrhythmia was detected.