Distributed model of blood-bone exchange

Abstract

An understanding of bone physiology obtained from a knowledge of fluid spaces and their associated barriers may lead to better management of bone pathologies. Such information can be obtained by mathematically modelling the results of multiple tracer outflow dilution techniques, which in our case were performed on the canine tibia. Hence, a computer model was developed to describe the exchange processes of tracers between blood and bone. Capillary permeability, bone binding and the vascular, interstitial fluid and bone volumes of distribution were used as parameters in the equations describing the system, which also used published morphometric bone data. Parameter estimates were then derived by the use of optimization procedures.