Measurement of blood flow to osseous tissue in dogs using the radiolabelled microsphere method

1. The purpose of this study was to examine bone blood flow in various intra- and extra-oral sites. 2. The radiolabelled microsphere method was utilized to assess osseous blood flow in the following regions of 10 dogs: rib, long bone, and anterior and posterior regions of the maxilla and mandible. 3. Samples of cancellous and cortical bone were also obtained from each of these regions with the exception of the maxilla and the anterior mandible. 4. Mean blood flow ranged from 3.71 +/- 0.81 (SE) ml min.-1 100 g-1 in the mandibular posterior cortical bone to 22.7 +/- 4.66 ml min-1 100 g-1 in the cancellous rib samples. 5. Blood flow to the cancellous tissue of the rib was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than the other tissues with the exception of maxillary posterior bone and cortical rib. 6. Results from this study indicate that blood flow to the maxillary posterior bone is relatively high, but blood flow in other intraoral osseous sites is significantly less than that of cancellous rib bone.