Objective To evaluate cardiac structure and function in rats with acute ischemic myocardial injury byultrasound cardiogram. Methods SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham group, model group withischemic myocardial injury, and a diltiazem treatment group (10 mg/ kg). Myocardial ischemic injury was induced byligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. Left ventricular structure and function were measured by ultrasoundcardiogram after 15 d. The parameters included EF, FS, SV, CO, LVIDd, LVIDs, LVPWd, LVPWs, LVAWd andLVAWs were assessed. The serum concentration of NT-proBNP was assessed using ELISA. Left ventricular dilation wasanalyzed through Evans and TTC staining. HE staining was used for the pathological examination of myocardial structure.Results Compared with the sham group, the degree of left ventricular dilation, the serum levels of NT-proBNP, andLVIDd and LVIDs were significantly decreased in the model group, but LVPWd, LVPWs, LVAWd and LVAWs wereincreased. Diltiazem treatment decreased LVIDd and LVIDs, and increased LVAWd, LVAWs, LVPWd, and LVPWs,compared with the model group, as assessed using an ultrasound cardiogram analysis. The diltiazem group also showed asignificant decrease in serum NT-proBNP levels, and left ventricular dilation compared with the model group. ConclusionsAn ultrasound cardiogram analysis is suitable as the primary method for evaluating cardiac structure and function in small laboratory animals with angiocardiopathies.