Open AccessAn Evaluation of Two Inert Gas Clearance Techniques for Measurement of Endometrial Blood Flow in Women
Author(s) -
Fraser Ian S.,
McCarron Gay,
Hutton Brian,
Macey Dan
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348709015734
Subject(s) - blood flow , medicine , repeatability , inert gas , krypton , volumetric flow rate , nuclear medicine , biomedical engineering , xenon , cardiology , materials science , chemistry , mechanics , chromatography , organic chemistry , physics , composite material
Two methods utilizing inert gas clearance for the measurement of endometrial blood flow in non‐pregnant women have been assessed and compared. A Krypton‐85 re‐breathing technique allowed measurement of superficial flow by means of an intrauterine semiconductor β‐detector probe. Intrauterine instillation of high specific activity Xenon‐133 in small volumes of saline allowed endometrial flow measurement by γ camera recording of the rate of clearance. Both these methods permitted calculation of absolute rates of flow and comparison of cyclical changes. Direct comparison of the techniques in the same women, and repeatability studies have shown good agreement, with calculated rates of absolute endometrial blood flow varying within the range 14 − 60 ml per 100 g tissue per minute. Vaginal blood flow measured simultaneously was always significantly lower (36−64%) than endometrial flow.