Blood flow in an experimental rat brain tumor by tissue equilibration and indicator fractionation.

The tissue equilibration technique (Kety) was compared with the indicator fractionation technique for the measurement of blood flow to normal brain and an experimental brain tumor in the rat. The tumor was a cloned astrocytic glioma implanted in the cerebral hemisphere of F-344 rats. I-125 Iodoantipyrine, using a rising infusion for one minute, was used for the tissue equilibration technique. C-14 butanol, injected as a bolus 8 seconds before sacrifice, was used for the indicator fractionation technique. Samples were assayed using liquid scintillation counting and the iodoantipyrine results were regressed against the butanol results. For normal tissue R = 0.832, SEE = 0.115 ml/g/min, and Slope = 0.626. For tumor R = 0.796, SEE = 0.070 ml/g/min, and Slope = 0.441. The iodoantipyrine tissue/blood partition coefficient for normal hemisphere (gray and white matter) was 0.861 +/-0.037 (SD) and for tumor was 0.876 +/-0.042. The indicator fractionation technique with C-14 butanol underestimated blood flow in a consistent manner, probably because of incomplete extraction, early washout of activity from tissue and from evaporation of butanol during processing. Our experiments revealed no differences between tumor and normal brain tissue that might invalidate the comparison of iodoantipyrine blood flow results in brain tumors and surrounding normal brain.