Whole Blood Volume Determined by Radiochromium-Tagged Red Cells

Abstract

Whole blood volume can be measured quite accurately by the use of radiochromium. The amount of radiation is very low; the radiochromium stays fixed in red blood cells for many hours and does not leave the circulation as may happen when plasma tags are employed. Hypervolemia was found in the majority of patients with right ventricular failure but not in those with left ventricular failure or mitral stenosis alone.