Evaluation of a method for determination of the subcutaneous blood flow in the forefoot continuously over 24 h.

A method is presented which allows for continuous registration of forefoot blood flow over 24 h. Blood flow was estimated by the radioactive Xenon washout method and a portable CdTe detector system was used to measure the tracer disappearance rate. Since the semiconductor detector is placed very close to the tracer depot the washout rates registered are a mixture of rate constants due to tracer removal by blood flow and diffusion of the tracer depot away from the detector. Rate constants only due to diffusion were obtained over 24 h from amputated feet and similarly from normal feet with circulatory arrest in several 20 min periods during 24 h. The rate constants due to blood flow could thus be calculated by subtraction of the appropriate diffusion rate constants from the recorded rate constants. Blood flow in the forefoot during 24 h was measured in 10 experimental subjects with normal peripheral circulation. Blood flow during daytime did not differ between the first and second day. Blood flow during night-time was about twice that during daytime.