title: Computed chest tomography in an animal model for decompression sickness: radiologic, physiologic, and pathologic findings.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the early pulmonary effects of acute decompression in an animal model for human decompression sickness by CT and light microscopy. Ten test pigs were exposed to severe decompression stress in a chamber dive. Three pigs were kept at ambient pressure to serve as controls. Decompression stress was monitored by measurement of pulmonary artery pressure and arterial and venous Doppler recording of bubbles of inert gas. Chest CT was performed pre- and postdive and in addition the inflated lungs were examined after resection. Each lung was investigated by light microscopy. Hemodynamic data and bubble recordings reflected severe decompression stress in the ten test pigs. Computed tomography revealed large quantities of ectopic gas, predominantly intravascular, in three of ten pigs. These findings corresponded to maximum bubble counts in the Doppler study. The remaining test pigs showed lower bubble grades and no ectopic gas by CT. Sporadic interstitial edema was demonstrated in all animals--both test and control pigs--by CT of resected lungs and on histologic examination. A severe compression-decompression schedule can liberate large volumes of inert gas which are detectable by CT. Despite this severe decompression stress, which led to venous microembolism, CT and light microscopy did not demonstrate changes in lung structure related to the experimental dive. Increased extravascular lung water found in all animals may be due to infusion therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tetzlaff
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brasch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gerriets
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiher
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Struck
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heller
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014343:Trypan Blue / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D014343:Trypan Blue