Figure 2

Ultrasound images with low mechanical index pulse sequence scheme showing the presence of microbubbles binding to the arterial endothelium in a balloon-injured carotid artery (Panel A, right) and the absence of microbubbles in the control noninjured carotid artery (Panel B, right). Scanning electron microscopy (Bar = 10 μm; magnification 1420 ×) revealed sites of injury with endothelial denudation and attachment of microbubbles (black arrows) to the denuded endothelium only in the injured vessel (A) and normal appearing endothelium in the control vessel (B). (Reprinted with permission from Tsutsui JM, Xie F, Radio SJ, Phillips P, Chomas J, Lof J et al. Non-invasive detection of carotid artery endothelial dysfunction due to hypertriglyceridemia and balloon injury with high frequency real time low mechanical index imaging of retained microbubbles. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;44:1036-46).