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(Circulation Research. 2004;95:21.)
© 2004 American Heart Association, Inc.

Reviews

Optical Imaging of the Heart

Igor R. Efimov, Vladimir P. Nikolski, Guy Salama

From the Case Western Reserve University (I.R.E., V.P.N.), Cleveland, Ohio; and the University of Pittsburgh (G.S.), Pittsburgh, Pa.

Correspondence to Dr Igor R. Efimov, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106-7207. E-mail efimov{at}case.edu

This Review is part of a thematic series on Imaging of Cardiovascular Cells and Tissues, which includes the following articles:

Use of Chimeric Fluorescent Proteins and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer to Monitor Cellular Responses

Imaging Microdomain Ca²⁺ in Muscle Cells

Optical Imaging of the Heart

Examining Intracellular Organelle Function Using Fluorescent Probes

Two-Photon Microscopy of Cells and Tissue
Brian O’Rourke Guest Editor

Optical techniques have revolutionized the investigation of cardiac cellular physiology and advanced our understanding of basic mechanisms of electrical activity, calcium homeostasis, and metabolism. Although optical methods are widely accepted and have been at the forefront of scientific discoveries, they have been primarily applied at cellular and subcellular levels and considerably less to whole heart organ physiology. Numerous technical difficulties had to be overcome to dynamically map physiological processes in intact hearts by optical methods. Problems of contraction artifacts, cellular heterogeneities, spatial and temporal resolution, limitations of surface images, depth-of-field, and need for large fields of view (ranging from 2x2 mm² to 3x3 cm²) have all led to the development of new devices and optical probes to monitor physiological parameters in intact hearts. This review aims to provide a critical overview of current approaches, their contributions to the field of cardiac electrophysiology, and future directions of various optical imaging modalities as applied to cardiac physiology at organ and tissue levels.

Key Words: optical mapping • fluorescent probes • electrophysiology • arrhythmia • defibrillation

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