Organ blood flow and distribution of cardiac output in nonanesthetized swine

Organ blood flow and distribution of cardiac output (CO) were determined in awake resting swine, using radionuclide-labeled 15-micrometer diameter microspheres. Absolute values of blood flow (per 100-g basis) were determined for various organs and peripheral tissues. Internal organs of the swine, which constituted 8.25 +/- 0.79% of the total body mass, received 45.46 +/- 2.64% of the resting CO. The fraction of CO received by brain, heart, kidneys, liver (via hepatic artery), and gastrointestinal tract was 1.13%, 3.04%, 12.95%, 4.27%, and 18.71%, respectively.