• Willem P de Boode, Arno F J van Heijst, Jeroen C W Hopman, Ronald B Tanke, Hans G van der Hoeven, and Kian D Liem.
• Department of Neonatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands. W.deBoode@cukz.umcn.nl
• Pediatr Crit Care Me. 2010 Jan 1;11(1):103-8.

ObjectiveTo assess agreement between a new method of cardiac output monitoring, using ultrasound dilution technology and ultrasound transit time-based measurement of pulmonary blood flow in a piglet model.DesignProspective, experimental juvenile animal study.SettingAnimal laboratory of a university hospital.SubjectsNine random-bred piglets.InterventionsAfter the animals received general anesthesia, we placed intravascular arterial and central venous catheters with the tip positioned in the abdominal aorta and the right atrium, respectively. The catheters were connected to the ultrasound dilution cardiac output monitor. An ultrasound transit time perivascular flow probe was positioned around the common pulmonary artery and served as the standard reference measurement. Cardiac output was manipulated during the experiment by creating hemorrhagic hypotension. Ultrasound dilution cardiac output was measured intermittently with injection volumes of 0.5 mL/kg and 1.0 mL/kg of isotonic saline at body temperature.Measurements And Main ResultsUltrasound dilution cardiac output (Q) measurement was compared with pulmonary blood flow (Q). Bias, defined as Q minus Q, was calculated for each measurement. Mean bias with standard deviation was calculated for measurements with volumes of injected saline, 0.5 mL/kg and 1.0 mL/kg, and compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Mean bias (sd) between Q and Q was 0.040 (0.132) and 0.058 (0.136) L/min for measurement with 0.5 mL/kg and 1.0 mL/kg of isotonic saline, respectively (no statistically significant difference).ConclusionsUltrasound dilution cardiac output measurement is reliable in piglets with the use of a small volume of a nontoxic indicator (isotonic saline).

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