An implantable semiconductor beta-radiation detector

An implantable beta-radiation detector suitable for the measurement of reginal blood flow in the experimental animal by the indicator clearance principle is described. A lithium-drifted silicon diode encapsulated in a stainless steel case is sutured over the site of interest. A suitable beta-emitting isotope, such as 85Kr in saline solution, is injected into the arterial supply and its calibrated against a mechanical system and showed excellent agreement up to 600 ml/100 g per min. At very high rates beyond the physiological range, flow was underestimated by a maximum of 10%. In vivo comparisons of myocardial blood flow assessed by the beta detector did not agree well with estimates of flow from a precordial counter or by the microsphere technique. Possible reasons are spatial heterogeneity of regional myocardial blood flow, the greatly different masses of tissue involved, or our inability to achieve sufficient numbers of spheres for accuracy in a 50-mg mass of tissue. The unit was still functional after 50 days in a chronic animal.