Abstract
We applied a tissue spectrum analyzer (Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Osaka) to human bronchi to examine bronchial mucosal hemodynamics and oxygen consumption during bronchofiberscopic examination. The reflected spectra from the bronchial mucosa of 41 cases of chest diseases were analyzed.
There were no differences in the mucosal blood volume and oxygen saturation of hemoglobin at three different sites in the normal bronchus (carina, bifurcation between the right upper lobe bronchus and the truncus intermedius and that between the left upper lobe and lower lobe bronchi).
On the other hand, the comparison of mucosal blood flow and oxygen saturation between endobronchial nonmalignant inflammatory lesions and malignant lesions revealed significant differences. The blood volume of the normal areas was less than that of both inflammatory lesions and the malignant lesions (p<0.01). However, the oxygen saturation of tissue hemoglobin in the malignant lesions was lower than that of the normal area (p<0.01) which in turn was lower than in inflammatory lesions (p<0.01).
From these results, it was suggested that inflammation caused dilatation of the vessels perhaps through chemical mediators and decreased oxygen consumption of the tissue may be caused by poor cell function. In cancer cases, it seemed that increased blood flow was caused by the increased oxygen demand of the tissue due to the accelerated cell cycle.
