Validation of a new transit time ultrasound flowmeter for measuring blood flow in colonic mesenteric arteries.

OBJECTIVE

To validate a transit time ultrasound flowmeter (CardioMed CM 4000) for measuring blood flow in isolated colonic mesenteric arteries.

DESIGN

Experimental and clinical study.

SETTING

Teaching hospital, Denmark. ANIMALS AND SUBJECTS: One female pig, and 6 patients being operated on for carcinoma of the sigmoid colon and rectum.

INTERVENTIONS

Volume blood flow measured by Cardiomed CM 4000 and pump withdrawal flow recordings.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Correlation between the two methods.

RESULTS

There was good agreement between transit time flow recordings and pump withdrawal flow recordings (correlation coefficient of 1.0). Of the differences between the two methods, 95% were between -0.16 ml min(-1) and 1.29 ml min(-1), mean 0.57 ml min(-1), or (in percentages) 105, 95% lying between 97-115. There was also good reproducibility in transit time flow recordings, the mean difference between repeated measurements being 0.06 ml min(-1), 95% lying between -0.66 ml min(-1) and 0.78 ml min(-1).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound transit time flow recordings gave precise measurements of blood flow in isolated colonic mesenteric arteries.