Abstract: Objective To explore the value of high frequency echocardiography to evaluate cardiac structure and function of rat with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods The rat AMI model was established by ligating the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. The cardiac structure and function of model rats were examined with high frequency echocardiography in the 2nd and 8th week after ligation successfully. Another 20 healthy rat were selected as the sham operative group.Results The survival rat is 82.0% beyond 24 hours. At 2nd week, the model animals had an increased end-diastolic diameter (EDD), end-systolic diameter (ESD), end-diastolic volume (EDV), and further end-systolic volume (ESD), compared with the sham operative group. Ejection fraction (EF) and fraction shortening (FS) of model rats decreased. The ratio of E/A was higher. At 8th week, these parameters deteriorated left atrial diameter (LA) increased ( P<0.05). EF and FS were relevant to dp/dtmax.Conclusion High frequency echocardiography can evaluate left ventricle remodeling of rat dynamically.

Key words: myocardial infarction, ventricular remodeling, rat, high frequency echocardiography