Assessment of skeletal muscle ventricle tissue blood flow using positron emission tomography

In this pilot study, we assessed the feasibility of using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for in vivo measurement of skeletal muscle ventri cle (SMV) tissue blood flow. In 4 dogs, with SMVs prepared from their latis simus dorsi muscle, we quantified SMV tissue blood flow by PET and related it to the tissue flow measured by radiolabeled microspheres under similar p hysiologic conditions. The tissue blood flow was estimated in SMVs wrapped around a mandrel (not in circulation) at rest and during SMV stimulation (3 0 and 90 contraction-cycles/min). SMV tissue perfusion was heterogeneous, e specially during SMV contraction. Furthermore, there was a linear relations hip between SMV tissue flows estimated by PET and those measured by microsp heres. We conclude that in vivo imaging of SMV is feasible by PET. Quantifi cation of SMV tissue blood flow by PET has promise as a means of assessing changes in blood flow. but further technical. progress needs to be made bef ore absolute flows can be reliably measured.