MEASUREMENT OF BLOOD FLOW IN THE COLLATERAL VESSELS OF THE PORTAL VEIN; PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A NEW METHOD

Abstract

A method for the estimation of blood flow through the collateral vessels of the portal vein in humans is described. The concentration of iodinated albumin injected into the spleen appearing at the hepatic vein and in the peripheral circulation is measured simultaneously and from the difference collateral flow is estimated. The results of the method are correlated with clinical and radiological evidence of collateral circulation. Occasional subjects showed very rapid circulation of the iodinated albumin through collateral vessels which makes application of the method impossible. Collateral flow ranged from none (in normals) to all of the portal blood (in patients with a surgical anastamosis) but was as high as 81% in one patient without surgical anastamosis. The splanchnic blood volume is estimated in each patient.