Pulmonary shunt determination: A comparison between oxygen inhalation (Berggren) and xenon-133 methods

Abstract A simplified technique for determining pulmonary arteriovenous admixture utilizing the isotope-dilution principle is presented. Xenon-133, which is a highly insoluble gas, is injected intravenously with an intravascular marker. The amount of shunted blood is directly proportional to the amount of xenon recovered in an arterial sample. Xe 133 was combined with RISA or Hippuran- 131 and was compared with the 100 per cent O 2 method. The mean normal shunt value in the anesthetized dog was 4.9 per cent ± 2 for the Berggren method and 4.7 per cent ± 1.3 for the xenon method. Variable large shunts were created by ligation of lobar bronchi. Under these conditions, there was good correlation between the 2 methods (r = 0.9782). The xenon method is relatively simple and avoids the use of high inspired oxygen concentrations.