Microscopic local measurement of blood flow and oxygen tension in brain microcirculation

A multi-photonic imaging system was proposed for measuring blood flow velocity, vessel diameter and blood oxygen tension pO₂ simultaneously with high spatio-temporal resolution in the parenchymatous organ microcirculation, such as pial tissue, by using a closed cranial window and two light sources. FITC-stained erythrocytes was used to visualize the microcirculation, and the fluorescent image was recorded by a high-speed video camera for measuring blood flow velocity. Oxygen tension pO₂ was measured by oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescent molecules, Pd-TCPP, in the microvessels after irradiation of second harmonic light of Nd:YAG pulse laser (532nm). Animal experiments were performed for investigation of blood flow dynamics and oxygen diffusion phenomenon during acute cerebral ischemia using photochemical thrombus formation in the closed cranial window of male Wistar rats. Experimental results showed specific and significant blood flow and oxygen diffusion phenomena related to the abnormal organ tissues, from those the proposed technique would contribute to the trasnlational research for the clinical medicine, concerned in the ischemic dysfunction, angiogenisis, tumorgenisis and so on.