Pressure–volume loop experiments
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This article was last edited by Michael Kaine (talk | contribs) 16 years ago. (Update timer) |
PV loop studies are widely used in basic and preclinical research.
While it has long been possible to measure pressure in real time from the left ventricle, measuring the volume was technically more difficult.
The development of the conductance catheter triggered renewed interest in PV loops studies. The cathether measures conductance in the left ventricle, which is then converted to blood volume.
The miniaturisation of catheters, making mice PV loop studies feasible, has further spurred uptake.
conductance catheter technique
A conductance catheter contains two or more ring-shaped electrodes along its length. When a high-frequency low-amplitude constant current is passed through the outer electrodes to generate an electric field, the potential difference between any pair of inner electrodes is inversely proportional to the amount of conductive material at that site.
Conductance is defined as the applied current divided by the voltage measured between two adjacent electrodes.
The conductance catheter technique has no major drawbacks but requires careful calibration of conductance signals. Other techniques exist but this article focuses on the well-established conductance catheter technique.