Quantitative analysis of experimental peritumoral edema in cats

Cat brain tumors were produced by stereotactical xenotransplantation of rat glioma clone F98 into the internal capsule of the left hemisphere. Two to four weeks after implantation, the tissue content of water, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, serum albumin, serum immunoglobulin, and hemoglobin was measured in samples taken from the tumor, from peritumoral white and gray matter, and from homotopic regions of the opposite hemisphere. Extravasated serum protein content was determined by subtracting intravascular from total tissue protein, using the hemoglobin content as a marker of blood volume. The development of brain tumors was accompanied by severe vasogenic brain edema, which was clearly confined to the ipsilateral white matter. The increase of water was paralleled by an increase of sodium, calcium, and serum proteins. Potassium and magnesium content remained constant. The calculated sodium and calcium content of edema fluid approximated that of blood serum. The content of blood proteins was about 50% lower, but the ratio of albumin/immunoglobulin was the same as in blood. It is concluded that peritumoral edema is a combination of plasma ultrafiltrate and whole plasma extravasation with different modes of formation. Implications for the pathophysiology and therapy of peritumoral edema are discussed.