[Measurement of cardiac output by thermodilution with a diode as a temperature sensor].

Abstract

An area integrator for the thermodilution curve in cardiac output measurement is described. A new temperature sensor is used, a diode with some advantages over the thermistor normally used. The main advantages are: easy calibration and replacement, and broad range of linearity. The cardiac output values obtained in dog with the integrator follow a linear relationship with those of the flowmeter. In simultaneous measurements the correlation is R = 0.96. Using a diode as temperature sensor a modification of the Steward Hamilton equation (used for thermistor) is necessary. With this new equation a monogram is performed to calculate the cardiac output from the area given by the numerical integrator.