Distribution of Blood Flow in the Digestive Tract of the Rat

The rubidium fractionation technique has been used to make comparative measurements of functional perfusion rates in the gastrointestinal tract of relatively undisturbed but fasted and anesthetized rats. The duodenum has the highest functional perfusion rate per unit mass of the entire digestive tract; the stomach is less than half as well perfused. The remainder of the tract to the rectosigmoid shows a progressive decrease. The small intestine shows a progressive increase in functional flow per unit mass from the pylorus to the ligament of Treitz and then a progressive decrease, most marked in the jejunum to the ileocecal valve. Blood flow values to other structures of the gastrointestinal tract are also given.