CARDIAC LYMPHATIC DYNAMICS AFTER ISCHEMIA AND REPERFUSION - EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL

The aim of the present study was to investigate the lymphatic cardiac circulation in an experimental model of ischemia plus reperfusion in m ongrel dogs (Canis familiaris L). As radiotracer we used 0.2-0.25 ml ( 111 MBq) of Tc-99m Re2S7 colloid (+/-10 mu m), injected subcapsullary below the second diagonal of the descending anterior ligated coronary artery with a special needle. A gamma-camera/Starport + DecStation wer e used for data acquisition. Four experimental groups with five animal s each were established: G I = controls; G II = immediately after acut e myocardial infarction (AMI); G III = late infarction (5 days after A MI); G IV = ischemia (90 min) + reperfusion. Four regions of interest (ROIs) were chosen: injection area (ZA), above (ZB), near right (ZD), and far right (ZC) from ZA. Mean disappearance times in ZA and dynamic parameters in the other ROIs were determined from activity/time curve s drawn in each area, using homemade software. The results obtained se em to indicate that the methodology is appropriate to a detailed study of lymphatic drainage in pathological situations in animal models. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.