Spatial heterogeneity of local blood flow and metabolite content in dog hearts

Spatial variation (heterogeneity) of myocardial blood flow was studied under basal conditions in relation to four biochemical markers: creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ATP, and glycogen. A total of 508 individual 0.5-g samples from the left ventricular free wall was studied in 12 dogs. Myocardial blood flow was measured by radioactive microspheres injected via a pigtail catheter into the left ventricle during light sedation; following thoracotomy, a second set of microspheres was injected via a catheter into the left atrium. In 27-54 samples/heart, myocardial blood flow, CK, LDH, protein, ATP, and glycogen were determined, permitting a direct correspondence between local blood flow and metabolic markers in each sample and an assessment of the spatial heterogeneity of flow and metabolite content. The coefficient of variation, which defines the extent of spatial heterogeneity, averaged 20% for closed-chest flow measurement, 19% for open-chest flow measurement, 22% for CK, 17% for LDH, 15% for protein, 8% for ATP, and 18% for glycogen. The correlation between local blood flow and the studied metabolities can only explain a minor portion of the spatial heterogeneity of myocardial blood flow. Although a physiological link between blood flow and metabolite content for small regions of the heart is demonstrated, the true local variability of blood flow may be modulated predominantly by other factors