Effect of renal vasodilatation on intrarenal blood flow distribution

Total renal blood flow (TRBF) and its intrarenal and intracortical distribution were measured before and during renal vasodilatation induced by acetylcholine infusion using the 133Xe washout, 86Rb uptake and radioactive microspheres distribution techniques. A good agreement was observed between TRBF calculated from 133Xe washout and measured with the electromagnetic flowmeter (FM). 86Rb-TRBF was lower than FM-TRBF and, due to the progressive reduction of renal 86Rb uptake, the difference increased with the increase of flow. With the alteration of TRBF the intrarenal distribution of 86Rb uptake did, however, not change significantly and, accordingly there was no redistribution of RBF either between the cortex and medulla, or among the individual cortical zones. The intracortical distribution of labelled microspheres showed, however, moderate flow dependent changes: with the rise of TRBF, due probably to the reduction of the steric hindrance, the estimated fractional perfusion of the inner cortical zones increased. The sum of the per cent 86Rb content of the innermost cortical zone (C4) and of the medulla exceeded the per cent microsphere content of zone C4. It is concluded that the medulla is perfused not exclusively with blood flowing from the juxtamedullar glomeruli. The regional flow values obtained from the 133Xe curves are not comparable with the results obtained by other methods and cannot be attributed to well defined areas of the kidney.