Some simple geometric and mechanical characteristics of mammalian blood vessels

Abstract

Cross sections, relative thicknesses, longitudinal and circumferential distensibilities and propagation velocities of main arteries of dogs, cats and rabbits were measured in vivo and shortly after excision. A few measurements of main veins and pulmonary arteries were also made in the dog and indicated that the three types of vessels have comparable moduli of elasticity in distention. With a few exceptions, the main arterial cross sections are commensurate with the corresponding flows (as shown by Levy and Blalock's measurements, for example) and have marked tapers in only a few regions (which include the proximal descending aorta, the celiac axis and the iliac bifurcation). Comparable measurements were obtained in vivo and soon after excision, and both showed wide individual variations among the genetically mongrel population.