The evaluation of an isotopic clearance technique for the measurement of skin blood flow in the pig

An isotope, Technetium-99m (^99mTc), clearance technique has been used for measuring skin blood flow in the pig. The isotope is injected id, and the blood clearance of the tracer from the injection site is measured by scintillation detectors placed over the site of injection. The results showed that the ^99mTc-clearance technique in the pig was reproducible for comparable sites on opposite sides of the animal. When measurements were made along the midlateral flank skin a pattern of uniform blood flow was indicated. When the volume of tracer injected was varied (0.02–0.3 ml), no significant difference in the blood flow parameters measured was obtained. This result is compared with published findings in man and other animal systems. The clearance curves obtained over a period of 1 hr has two exponential exponents; the significance of this is discussed.