[The use of magnetic tracers in hemodynamics. A proposed model study]

Velocity of blood flow is critical in specific clinical situations. Available non invasive blood velocimeters gives only qualitative informations; quantitative estimates can be obtained invasively. We investigated the possibility of estimating the velocity of fluids using magnetic tracer. A model for the laminar blood flow inside a vessel was developed. A biomagnetometer was used to measure the fluid tracer velocity. The experimental setup was designed to mimic blood flow. A PVC tube simulated the vessel. The tube was connected to a bottle of normal saline. The tracer injection took place 25 cm distal to the saline bottle. The system was calibrated to a constant flow velocity of about 1 cm/s. A paramagnetic fluid (Magnevist, Schering, Berlin) was adopted as a tracer. In each session an amount of 2 cm3 was injected into the tube within 5 seconds. The recording equipment consisted of a second order gradiometer (baseline 7 cm, pick-up coil diameter 1.5 cm) coupled to a rfSQUID magnetometer. The recording bandwidth was dc-3 Hz, the sampling rate 32 Hz with 12 bit digitalization. The biomagnetic system was positioned immediately above the tube 55 cm away from the injection site. The total recording time for each session was 240 seconds. The injection of the tracer took place 60 seconds after the beginning of the data acquisition. Five measuring sessions in the earth magnetic field were performed at first and showed a low signal-to-noise ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)