Abstract
Summary
A method is described for the use of tracer doses of krypton85 in the localization of left-to-right cardiac shunts. Fifteen studies were performed in 10 dogs with atrial septal defects. As the gas was inhaled, blood samples were drawn simultaneously from a vena cava, a right heart chamber, and a systemic artery. The samples were analyzed for their radioactivity. The diagnosis of a shunt could be made when the ratio of radioactivity in right heart or pulmonary artery samples to that in systemic artery samples exceeded 10%. The apparent advantages of the method and the possible usefulness of other radioactive gases are discussed.
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