Splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics in mice using a radioactive microsphere technique

Mice are commonly used for the study of human disease processes. However, techniques for measuring systemic and hepatic blood flow in mice have not been developed. We attempted the conventional technique of radiolabeled microsphere injection into the left ventricle, but difficulties were encountered, including unsuspected ventricular perforation and outflow obstruction in 68% of the animals. We therefore evaluated whether an injection into the carotid artery close to the aortic arch can fulfill the criteria (approximately or greater than 300 microspheres in femoral blood or tissues, adequate mixing of microspheres with blood, and no significant alteration of blood pressure during microsphere injection) required for accurate measurement of systemic and regional hemodynamics. Carotid artery injection resulted in adequate mixing and number of microspheres in tissues in 78 and 91% of the animals, respectively. Portal venous inflow was 1.8 +/- 0.3 ml.min-1.g liver tissue-1 and renal blood flow was 5.1 +/- 0.75 ml.min-1.g tissue-1. Compared per unit weight, these values are quite similar to those reported in rats. Cardiac output was 12.1 +/- 1.2 ml/min and cardiac index was 462 +/- 47 ml.min-1.kg body wt-1. The reliability of cardiac output determination is improved if whole body radioactivity is taken into account. Five of 22 animals had to be excluded because of either a low number of microspheres in tissues or inadequate mixing of microspheres with blood (shown by asymmetrical distribution of microspheres between left and right kidney). With modifications, the radioactive microsphere technique can be adapted to the hemodynamic study of mice