Iodide and albumin kinetics in normal canine wrists and knees.

The clearance rates of free iodide and of radioiodinated serum albumin were measured in the knee and wrist joints of 9 normal adult dogs. Iodide clearance from the knee was 3 times greater than that from the wrist. In contrast, radioiodinated serum albumin clearance from the knee was only slightly greater than that from the wrist. Interpreted as respective indices of effective synovial plasma flow and lymphatic drainage, these values indicate that the filtration fraction is normally greater in microvessels of the wrist than in those of the knee. These findings complement the results of companion studies of Starling forces that indicate a higher pressure microvascular bed in the wrist than in the knee.