Underestimation of true pulmonary blood volume by the pulmonary artery wedge injection technique in cardiac patients

Abstract

Pulmonary blood volume measurements were made comparing pulmonary artery with pulmonary artery wedge and left atrial dye dilution curves in 32 patients with cardiac disease. Mean transit times across the lungs were underestimated by the PAW curve technique. Hence calculated PBV by the right heart injections alone underestimates true PBV.