Measurement of hepatic blood flow in the unanesthetized rabbit using 198Au and 125I Rose Bengal clearance technique.

Hepatic blood flow was measured in the unanesthetized rabbit using the clearance technique of 198Au and 125I RB. The values are: 71.82 +/- 16.24 ml-min-1-kg-1 for 198Au, and 60.21+/-9.94 ml-min-1-kg-1 for 125I RB (P less than 0.01). The overestimation of HBF with colloidal gold is probably due to extra splanchnic sequestration which has been estimated to be 15+/-3%. The week extraction of RB limits the use of this dye for measurements of HBF. HBF is easier to measure with 198 Au.