Pulmonary tissue volume in dogs during pulmonary edema.

Pulmonary tissue volume (Vt) and pulmonary capillary blood flow (Qc) were measured in anesthetized dogs by analyzing end-expiratory concentrations of dimethyl ether (DME), acetylene (C2H2), and sulfur hexafluoride during a 30-s rebreathing maneuver. Vt was compared to the postmortem lung weight of control dogs and dogs with hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic (alloxan) pulmonary edema. Qc was compared to the cardiac output measured by dye dilution. A 100-ml increase in alveolar volume (VA) in the range of 1-2 liters resulted in a 9 +/- 3 ml increase in Vt. Vt measured at a VA of 1.9 liters measures 114 +/- 18% of the postmortem lung weight in 20 control dogs and in 6 dogs with moderate edema (lung weight < 250% of predicted). Vt measured only 53 +/- 14% of the lung weight in 11 dogs with more severe edema. DME and C2H2 gave the smae mean values of Vt, but the reproducibility of a series of 3-7 measurements was greater with DME (coefficient of variation was 5% with DME and 8% C2H2). Qc measured 96 +/ 15% of the cardiac output during the rebreathing maneuver, but the maneuver caused a 4-40% fall in the cardiac output. These data show that Vt determined by rebreathing DME is between 86% and 135% of the lung weight in dogs with pulmonary edema until the lung weight is greater than 250% of the predicted value.