Automated measurements of morphological, hemodynamic and oxygenation parameters in capillary networks and their use in computational models

The authors have developed a measurement and analysis system to study red blood cell (RBC) dynamics and oxygenation in capillary networks. The system is based on object-oriented principles and it is designed to mimic the structure and hierarchy present in the microcirculation. The system enables analysis of capillaries to study geometry, RBC flow, and hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO/sub 2/). The authors have also developed a very general computer code that can incorporate any realistic microvascular geometry, including capillary anastomoses and tortuosity. The computational model also includes network hemodynamics based on the latest findings for microvascular resistance. The model is capable of taking the geometric and hemodynamic data directly from the newly developed video-based experimental technique.