title: Off-line analysis of red blood cell velocity in renal arterioles.
abstract: Videomicroscopic methods with off-line analysis of microcirculatory parameters by multifunctional computer-assisted image analysis systems have significant advantages for in vivo microvascular research. A limitation of these methods is, however, that red blood cell velocities (V(RBC)) exceeding 2 mm/s cannot be measured using standard video framing rates. In the present study, a high-speed video camera, recording up to 600 frames per second, was incorporated in the set-up, and V(RBC) was measured off-line with the line-shift-diagram method. The aim of this study was to test the reproducibility and validity of the method using a high-speed video camera and to evaluate its applicability in vivo. V(RBC) were measured in arterioles of the split hydronephrotic kidney. The intra- and interindividual variability was small for V(RBC) below 40 mm/s. The validity of the method was tested using the mass conservation principle and found to be at least as good as that of the dual-slit photometric technique. The present approach extends the application of videomicroscopy coupled to image analysis systems to the analysis of high V(RBC).
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Gent, Belgium. an.devriese@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: De Vriese
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Verbeuren
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Vallez
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Lameire
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Buyzere
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vanhoutte
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002138:Calibration; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply*; D018715:Microscopy, Video / Q000379:methods*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000109:Acetylcholine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester