Distribution volumes of [131I]albumin, [14C]sucrose, and 36Cl in sheep lung.

We measured the steady-state volumes of distribution for radioactive chloride, sucrose, and albumin in the lung of six anesthetized, spen-thorax sheep. We allowed 2 days for [131I]albumin to equilibrate throughout the body, 2 h for the 36Cl, and a 40-min constant infusion for [14C]sucrose before killing the animal. Five minutes before death, we gave [125I]albumin to tag lung plasma volume. We killed the animals by clamping both lung hila; we then removed the lungs and homogenized them. We measured residual red cell and plasma volume, total extravascular lung water, and the extravascular content of the three tracers. The distribution volumes expressed as fractions of blood-free lung weight were: 36Cl equals 0.44, sucrose equals 0.28, and albumin equals 0.07. If the sucrose distribution volume is taken as the best estimate of the lung's extravascular extracellular space, then chloride clearly overestimates the interstitial fluid volume, being either bound or partially intracellular. On the other hand, albumin clearly underestimates the interstitial fluid volume.