Rc. Shymkiw et al., Evaluation of laser-Doppler perfusion imaging for measurement of blood flow in cortical bone, J APP PHYSL, 90(4), 2001, pp. 1314-1318
Most techniques currently available to measure blood flow in bone are time
consuming and require destruction of the tissue, but laser-Doppler technolo
gy offers a less invasive method. This study assessed the utility of laser-
Doppler perfusion imaging (LDI) to measure perfusion in cortical bone. Twel
ve mature New Zealand White rabbits were assigned to one of three groups: n
ormal control, constriction (norepinephrine), or dilatation (nitroprusside)
. The left and right medial tibiae were consecutively scanned at red (634-n
m) and near-infrared (810-nm) wavelengths to examine the repeatability of L
DI output. The pharmacological intervention groups were injected with the r
espective drug, and LDI measurements at 810 nm were obtained concurrently w
ith colored microsphere-determined flow in all of the groups. LDI effective
ly quantified blood flow in cortical bone and detected physiologically indu
ced changes in perfusion. A significant positive correlation was found betw
een microsphere-determined flow and LDI output (r = 0.6, P < 0.05). Repeata
bility of consecutive LDI measurements was within 5%. The effectiveness of
LDI to measure perfusion in bone suggests this method has potential for inv
estigating the role of blood flow in bone metabolism and remodeling.