[Changes of regional blood volume after the application of nitroglycerin measured by functional whole-body scanning (author's transl)].

After in-vivo labeling of red blood cells with 99mTc, the radioactivity of different parts of the body is proportional to the regional blood volume. The pharmacologically caused changes of the local blood volume can be examined simultaneously in different regions of interest by functional whole-body scanning. By this technique the effect of nitroglycerin on the distribution of blood volume was investigated in 10 patients with coronary artery disease. After nitroglycerin administration we found a statistically significant diminution of blood volume over the heart, the great intrathoracal vessels, and the liver. Furthermore, there was a distinct increase of local blood volume in th legs and the arms.