[14C]butanol distribution: a new method for measurement of spinal cord blood flow.

[14C]butanol distribution was used to quantitate regional blood flow (SCBF) in the spinal cord (levels T3-5, T7-9, L1-2, L3-S) and in the sciatic nerves (NBF) of control pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rats (group A), after 1 h of hemorrhagic hypotension (group B), after 15 min of stimulation of one sciatic nerve (group C-1), and after stimulation of one sciatic nerve plus hemorrhage, which maintained mean arterial pressure (MAP) at control (130 mmHg). Group A SCBF ranged from 52.3 +/- 3.5 (L3-S) to 67.4 +/- 2.7 (L1-2) ml.min-1.100 g-1. NBF was 8.0 +/- 0.9 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Group B SCBF was unchanged. NBF fell to 4.0 +/- 0.4 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Group C-1 SCBF was markedly elevated (range 122 +/- 23.1 to 150.1 +/- 18.7 ml.min-1.100 g-1). NBF was 33.5 +/- 4.1 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (stimulated side) and 14.7 +/- 1.4 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (nonstimulated). MAP was elevated (163 +/- 6 mmHg). In group C-2 (MAP was 130 +/- 4 mmHg), SCBF was still elevated at T3-5, L3-S, and marginally elevated at L1-2. NBF was 22.6 +/- 4.7 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (stimulated) but unchanged contralaterally. [14C]butanol distribution provides a sensitive reproducible measure of SCBF and NBF. Autoregulation of SCBF (but not of NBF) occurred in the range 60-160 mmHg MAP. Spinal cord stimulation via the sciatic nerve increased SCBF two- to threefold, but when hypertension was avoided by blood withdrawal, a modest (38%) increase in SCBF still occurred.