Microbiopsy metabolite and paired flow analysis: a new rapid procedure for homogenisation, extraction and analysis of high energy phosphates and other intermediates without any errors from tissue loss.

A new procedure is described which allows for the rapid homogenisation, extraction and analysis of the metabolite content of microbiopsy samples (milligram quantities) while completely overcoming the major errors arising as the consequence of the substantial and variable tissue loss associated with conventional procedures. In addition to allowing more accurate and faster analysis of much smaller quantities of tissue the procedure also allows for the coincident paired measurement of flow (radioactive microspheres) in each biopsy. An example of the application of the method to the measurement of flow and high energy phosphate content in multiple microbiopsy samples from normal and ischaemic canine myocardium is provided.