The American journal of physiology
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The effects of lung injury, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and norepinephrine on heterogeneity of regional pulmonary blood flow (rPBF, radioactive microspheres) were investigated. We hypothesized that lung injury increases heterogeneity of rPBF and that PEEP ventilation reduces these effects. Heterogeneity of rPBF is scale dependent and was therefore assessed in detail. ⋯ Norepinephrine, in part, further reduced gradients (right, 50 +/- 58%; P < or = 0.05; left, 102 +/- 94%; P = NS). We conclude that oleic acid- and glass bead-induced lung injury produces abnormal distribution of rPBF. Of these changes, application of PEEP only reverses perfusion gradients.