Plethysmograph for Measuring Pulmonary Ventilation in Small Animals

摘要

A plethysmograph was developed to permit non-invasive measurement of pulmonary ventilation in small animals. In this system, precise measurements of temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure are used to calculate tidal volume, while a BASIC computer program directs the collection and display of data on tidal volume, frequency, body temperature, chamber temperature, and relative humidity. The long acoustical time constant of the plethysmograph permits accurate measurement of tidal volume in a wide variety of small unrestrained animals such as mice, rats, and hamsters.