Lymphoscintigraphy to evaluate the effect of high versus low intensity upper body dynamic exercise on lymphatic function in healthy females.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the acute effects of exercise on the lymphatic system. Thus, the purpose was to determine the effect of low versus high intensity upper body exercise on lymphatic function in healthy females.


RESULTS
On separate days, eight females performed either HI: 12 repeated sets of arm cranking for 2.5 min at 0.6 W.kg-1, followed by 2.5 min of rest; or LO: 12 repeated sets of arm cranking for 2.5 min at 0.3 W.kg-1, followed by 2.5 min of rest. One min spot views were taken with a gamma-radiation camera immediately after injection of 99mTc-antimony colloid and every 10 min thereafter to measure the clearance rate (CR) from the first and fourth finger-web of each hand. Radiopharmaceutical uptake in the axillary regions (AX) at 65 min postinjection was also measured. Clearance from the injection sites was linear and expressed as a slope (% administered activity.min-1). HI resulted in significantly greater CR (-0.24%.min-1+/-0.06) than LO (-0.19%.min-1+/-0.05; p=0.003). A similar trend was seen in AX (HI: 6.3%+/-1.6, LO: 4.8%+/-1.1, p=0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that an arm cranking protocol of higher intensity is more effective in promoting lymphatic clearance from the hand. Further, the high intensity protocol may be useful in the functional evaluation of the lymphatic system in breast cancer survivors and warrants further investigation.
Lane
Kirstin
K
School of Human Kinetics, Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. klane@interchange.ubc.ca
Dolan
Lianne
L
Worsley
Dan
D
McKenzie
Don
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000965:Antimony / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology; D001365:Axilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000502:physiology*; D061305:Lymphoscintigraphy; D017556:Technetium Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D017556:Technetium Compounds; C019096:technetium Tc 99m antimony sulfide; D000965:Antimony