[Use of the tetrapolar rheography method for assessment of the circulatory system]

Experiments were carried out to explore the possible use of tetrapolar rheography in the assessment of pulse blood supply to a certain area and quantitative characteristics of cardiac output and blood flow in the limbs. Sixty five subjects were examined: fifty subjects had congenital diseases of the heart and the major vessels and 15 subjects were healthy. The volume-pulse blood supply was measured by means of a tetrapolar rheograph. Calculations were based on the Kedrov formula. Control measurements of cardiac output were made by the dye-dilution method (Evans blue). The correlation coefficient was 0.96. This gives evidence that the above instrument can be used to determine cardiac output. Studies of the pulse blood supply to the limbs show that the measurements may reflect not only marked pathology but also changes due to functional vascular shifts.