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Figure 10 Digital particle image velocimetry profiles of left ventricular flow during each phase of the cardiac cycle. Under specific conditions of dilution and administration to blood circulation, the echo contrast particles (microbubbles) can be tracked for calculating vectors and trajectories of flow within a 2-dimensional ultrasound scan plane. The ensemble-averaged velocity magnitudes are superimposed on the vector fields during isovolumic contraction (a), ejection (b), isovolumic relaxation (c), early diastole (d), diastasis (e), and late diastole (f). Note the apex-to-base redirection of blood flow during isovolumic contraction with formation of a dynamic vortex across the inflow-outflow region and the base-to-apex reversal of blood flow during isovolumic relaxation. LA = left atrium; LV = left ventricle. Reproduced from Sengupta et al. (61).