title: New method of cardiac output measurement using ultrasound velocity dilution in rats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to validate a new technique for the measurement of cardiac output (CO) based on ultrasound and dilution (COUD) in anesthetized rats. A transit time ultrasound (TTU) probe was placed around the rat carotid artery, and ultrasound velocity dilution curves were generated on intravenous injections of saline. CO by COUD were calculated from the dilution curves for normal and portal hypertensive rats in which CO was known to be increased. COUD was compared with the radiolabeled microsphere method and with direct aortic TTU flowmetry for baseline CO and drug-induced CO variations. CO in direct aortic TTU flowmetry was the ascending aorta blood flow measured directly by TTU probe (normal use of TTU flowmetry). The reproducibility of COUD within the same animal was also determined under baseline conditions. COUD detected the known CO increase in portal hypertensive rats compared with normal rats. CO values by COUD were correlated with those provided by microsphere technique or direct aortic TTU flowmetry (adjusted r = 0.76, P < 10(-4) and r = 0.79, P < 0.05, respectively). Baseline CO values and terlipressin-induced CO variations were detected by COUD and the other techniques. Intra- and interobserver agreements for COUD were excellent (intraclass r = 0.99 and 0.98, respectively). COUD was reproducible at least 10 times in 20 min. COUD is an accurate and reproducible method providing low-cost, repetitive CO measurements without open-chest surgery. It can be used in rats as an alternative to the microsphere method and to direct aortic flowmetry.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire HIFIH, UPRES EA-2170, Université d'Angers, 49033 Angers, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Veal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vuillemin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oberti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaassis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Trouvé
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Saumet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calès
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology*; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D007201:Indicator Dilution Techniques; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology; D008236:Lypressin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D015588:Observer Variation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000077585:Terlipressin; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D008236:Lypressin; D000077585:Terlipressin; D019808:Losartan