Validation of a clinically applicable device for fast and accurate quantification of blood volume

Determination of blood volume (BV) using the dual-isotope (e.g., ^99m Tc-labeled red blood cells [^99m Tc-RBC] and ¹²⁵ I-labeled human serum albumin [¹²⁵ I-HSA]) injection method is limited in medicine due to the long isotope half-life. However, BV has been determined in laboratory settings for 100 years using the carbon monoxide (CO)-rebreathing-based procedure, which allows frequent BV measurements.

We investigated the reliability and accuracy of a semi-automated CO-rebreathing device by comparing it against the dual-isotope methodology and its ability to detect a known blood removal. In study A, BV was determined three times in ~2 h; twice using the device with rebreathing protocols lasting 2 (CO_2min ) and 10 min (CO_10min ) and once with the dual-isotope technique. In study B, the accuracy of the device was assessed by its ability to detect a 2% removal of BV.

A good correlation was observed between both the CO-rebreathing protocols (r²  = 0.89-0.98; p < 0.001) and the dual-isotope approach (r²  = 0.89-0.95; p < 0.001). In absolute terms BV was 425 ± 263 mL and 491 ± 388 mL lower (p < 0.001) when quantified with the dual-isotope compared to the CO-rebreathing protocols. When reducing BV by 132 ± 25 mL (2%), the device quantified a lower (p < 0.001) BV of 150 ± 45 mL.

This study emphasizes that the semi-automated device accurately determines small changes (i.e., 2%) in BV and that a high correlation with the dual-isotope methodology exists. The findings are clinically relevant owing to the method's simple and fast nature (the absence of radioactive tracers and reduced time requirements, i.e., ~15 min vs. ~180 min) and the possibility for repeated measurements within a single day.