Changes in hepatic haemodynamics and hepatic perfusion index during the growth and development of hypovascular HSN sarcoma in rats.

Experimental liver tumours were induced in the Hooded Lister rat by the intraportal inoculation of 10(6) HSN sarcoma cells. The hepatic perfusion index was raised 10 days after the inoculation of cells (at the micrometastatic stage) and when overt tumour was present 20 days after inoculation. Overt tumours were hypovascular compared with normal liver. Portal venous flow and portal venous inflow fell significantly when the hepatic perfusion index was increased, but hepatic arterial flow did not alter. Portal vascular resistance and splanchnic vascular resistance were both increased in tumour-bearing animals but portal pressure, arteriosystemic shunting and portosystemic shunting did not increase significantly at any stage during the growth of hepatic tumour. These findings confirm that the hepatic perfusion index can be elevated in the presence of both micrometastic and overt hepatic tumour and that the changes are not due to either arteriosystemic shunting or mechanical portal venous obstruction.