Laser Doppler flowmetry and transcutaneously measured carbon dioxide tension for observing changes of skin blood flow in fingers.

Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension measurements (PtcCO2) were performed on fingers of healthy volunteers subjected to a sequence of hydrostatic and thermal stimuli. LDF response using an unheated probe agreed well with measurements made with Xenon133 clearance and strain gauge plethysmography in a previous work. The PtcCO2 results, however, were found not in any way to reflect changes in skin blood flow.