Splanchnic microcirculation-evaluation with whole body computed tomography

摘要

A fast, volume scanning, CT method is used to explore the feasibility of quantitating functional aspects of the in situ splanchnic microcirculation. Anesthetized pigs were scanned during and following the injection of contrast agent into the aorta. The indicator dilution curves generated by the passage of contrast medium through an imaged region of interest in the gut wall or through the liver parenchyma, were used to compute regional tissue perfusion and intravascular blood content of the tissue. Splanchnic perfusion was modulated by intra-arterial injection of Bradykinin and by the intragastric infusion of alcohol or hydrochloric acid. The results are consistent with values obtained with more invasive traditional methods for estimating these parameters under similar experimental conditions. We conclude that the resolution of the CT imaging method permits quantitative evaluation of changes in those splanchnic microcirculation following physiologic stimuli. The importance of bowel motion is apparent in these analyses. Indeed, the poorly periodic motion of the gut, even though it is slower than that of the heart wall, presents a greater problem than does the rapid motion of the heart wall, which is gateable because of its cycle-to-cycle reproducibility.