For the first time, both temperature and perfusion responses have been obta
ined from in vivo studies of chronically heated lung and muscle tissue of c
alves. In each tissue, the spatial temperature distribution was measured by
thermistors placed in needles at several distances from an implanted heate
d disc. A perfusion parameter was defined for a bioheat transfer model that
describes temperature dynamics with distance from the heated disc. Estimat
es of perfusion were obtained by a least-squares fit of the model output to
a step change in heat flux. Except for short transient experiments several
times a week, a constant heat flux of 0.04, 0.06 or 0.08 W cm(-2) was main
tained at the disc surface for up to seven weeks. At the higher heat fluxes
, the steady-state tissue temperature decreased with heating duration. Also
, the characteristic time constants of the tissues decreased with heating d
uration. Muscle perfusion showed a statistically significant increase durin
g chronic heating. Tissue adapts to chronic heating above 42 degreesC by al
lowing more capillary blood flow that increases heat loss to reduce tissue
temperature.