Measurement of the endocardial distribution of left ventricular coronary blood flow by rb86 chloride

Abstract A difference in uptake and clearance of intravenously infused Rb 86 Cl between the endocardial and epicardial halves of the normally beating left ventricle of the dog has been shown. The higher endocardial clearance was due to the uptake of isotope directly from the left ventricular cavity rather than to increased forward coronary flow to the endocardium. When the ventricular source of isotope was eliminated, the uptake of Rb 86 by the endocardium was less than that by the epicardium, and was consistent with decreased forward coronary flow in the inner layers of the left ventricular myocardium under normal pressure-flow conditions.