A simple technique of measuring liver blood flow--intrasplenic injection of 133Xenon.

Intrasplenic injection of 133Xe was studied as an inert gas clearance technique for measuring liver blood flow in 13 dogs. This was done by comparing technique with intraportal injection of 133Xe (n = 41), and with electromagnetic flowmeter measurements of total liver blood flow. Very good correlation was obtained against the two latter techniques, the correlation coefficients being 0.99 and 0.90 respectively. The comparisons were made over a range of liver blood flow rates from 37 to 297 ml 100 g-1 min-1. The technique is potentially suitable for preoperative measurements, and may be particularly convenient when performed in conjunction with splenoportovenography.