The accuracy and reproducibility of measuring blood flow in murine tumours by the D2O uptake and clearance techniques

The use of D2O as an NMR visible tracer to monitor murine tumour blood flow (TBF) by both the wash‐in and wash‐out methods has been investigated. The factors that influence the models used to fit the data and the error on the measurement of the clearance and uptake rates have been assessed. The study concentrates on the uptake method which allows TBF to be measured without the need to use anaesthetic. Also, administering the D2O remotely to the mouse means it can remain undisturbed, in the magnet bore, between control and post‐treatment readings. The uptake method in KHT and RIF‐1 transplanted murine tumours has been investigated in a series of control experiments and after modifying TBF by hydralazine (5 mg/kg) and photodynamic therapy. These studies showed that four uptake measurements could be made on the same mouse at 20 min intervals without affecting TBF, control values were the same for anaesthetized and unanaesthetized mice and the values obtained for RIF‐1 tumours were marginally higher than those obtained for the KHT tumours. The decrease in TBF seen after modification was in good agreement with published data where TBF results were obtained by using D2O clearance, radioactive tracers or laser Doppler flowmetry.