Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
Laser Doppler Perfusion Imaging in the Mouse Hindlimb
Published on: April 18, 2021
Characterization of the non-invasive assessment of the cutaneous microcirculation by laser Doppler perfusion scanner
Stefanie Keymel1, Julia Sichwardt, Jan Balzer
1Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Pneumology, and Vascular Diseases, University Hospital, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany.
Objective:
Microcirculatory dysfunction contributes to morbidity and mortality in vascular diseases. Here, we aimed at establishing a sensitive and valid method to measure microvascular reactivity during post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) using scanning laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) of the forearm.
Methods:
In a first series, LDPI was methodologically evaluated on the volar forearm of healthy volunteers (n = 10) before and after one to five minutes of upper arm occlusion. In a second series, readings were performed in 20 healthy subjects and 20 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
Results:
Three minutes of forearm occlusion were sufficient to induce maximal vasodilation during PORH as indicated by maximal increase in perfusion unit (PU) amplitude that did not further increase after five-minute occlusion. Five-minute occlusion led to a significant prolongation of PORH with greater area under curve (AUC) suggesting longer lasting vasodilation of microvessels. The five-minute occlusion was associated with lower variability as compared with three minutes (intraindividual variability: 9-17% vs. 12-21%; interindividual variability: 13-24% vs. 14-26%). CAD patients exhibited significantly reduced amplitude (105 +/- 49 vs. 164 +/- 35 PU; p < 0.001), ratio (4.7 +/- 1.8 vs. 7.1 +/- 1.8; p < 0.001), and AUC (1656 +/- 1070 vs. 2723 +/- 864 PU x minutes; p = 0.001).
Conclusion:
Scanning LDPI is a feasible and reproducible method for non-invasive assessment of the cutaneous microcirculatory response during PORH.
