The Case for Blood Volume Analysis
Ending the Guesswork:
BVA Delivers Objective Certainty
The core challenge in fluid management stems from a diagnostic gap: the lack of a direct measurement of intravascular blood volume. Relying on ineffective proxy measures inherently leads to misdiagnosis and suboptimal patient outcomes.
BVA solves this by delivering the precise, objective diagnosis needed to end the debate at the bedside, ensuring the correct treatment path is chosen immediately – transforming fluid assessment from subjective guesswork into objective certainty.
BVA directly measures the intravascular total blood, plasma, and red cell volume, and calculates two key unique metrics: normalized hematocrit and albumin transudation rate.
Pressure is Not Volume
- Volume is Not Pressure
BVA and hemodynamics provide complementary but different information. Traditional pressure metrics like CVP, PCWP, and dPAP do not accurately reflect the true intravascular volume status.
Is the increase in pressure due to vasoconstriction or volume expansion?
Normovolemic
Normal Pressure
Vasoconstriction Hypertension
Increased Pressure Normovolemic
Volume Expanded Hypertension
Increased Pressure Hypervolemic
Miller, WL. Volume and Pressure in Heart Failure: Complementary, But Not Two Sides of the Same Coin. Presented at HFSA 2018 Conference.
Determining Ratio & Reality
How BVA Unmasks Volume Disorders
Masked Anemia:
Hematocrit reading is normal but low total volume
means the anemic status is missed: low total red blood
cell mass is not detected.
Masked Polycythemia:
Hematocrit does not account for expanded total volume,
which masks an excess of red blood cells.
Important Safety Information
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
The data provided by the BVA is to assist qualified healthcare professionals in patient diagnosis and management. The uses and benefits of the BVA test described on this website are based on scientific literature and clinical experience. However, individual patient outcomes may vary. This website is not intended to promote any off-label uses of the BVA device. Decisions regarding the use of the BVA test and the interpretation of its results must be made by a qualified healthcare professional. Daxor is not responsible for any actions or decisions taken based on the information provided on this website.
BVA™ and Volumex® Indication and Important Risk Information
Indications and Intended Use
The Daxor BVA is an automated system that is used to measure/calculate the red cell mass (mL), plasma volume (mL) and total blood volume (mL), along with the related deviations from ideal values by amount (mL) and percentage (%) in adults. In addition, the Normalized Hematocrit (%) and Albumin Transudation Rate (%/min) are calculated.
It is an in vitro medical device composed of a microprocessor, software, touchscreen, and gamma counter and accessory convenience kit. The Daxor BVA is intended to calculate human blood volumes by the method of tracer diffusion (Indicator dilution technique) with I-131 as the tracer after injection of I-131 Human Serum Albumin.
The Daxor BVA provides a Quantitative Assessment of total blood and plasma volumes using an automated system.
Data inputs to the software come from the measured characteristics of patient venous whole blood samples collected in K3EDTA vacutainer tubes (hematocrit and tracer concentration) and tracer calibration standards. The patient blood samples and the calibration standards are measured in a gamma counter, whose output is automatically input to this calculation program. The package also calculates the patient expected (or ideal) blood volume from physical parameters. Hyper- or hypovolemia, and associated red cell volumes are reported, with statistics showing the quality of the results.
For in vitro diagnostic use in a Clinical Laboratory setting and operated by laboratory technicians. Rx use only.
Contraindications and Clinical Postponement
Volumex is contraindicated for use in pregnant women. Furthermore, safety and effectiveness have not been established in pediatric or nursing patients. While there are otherwise no known contraindications for Volumex, the procedure should be deferred if the patient is unwilling to consent, if reliable venous access cannot be established, or if the patient is clinically unstable (e.g., experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath) unless under direct physician oversight.
Safety Precautions and Radiation Management
Minimize radiation exposure for patients and workers; radiopharmaceuticals must only be handled by qualified, licensed handlers. Lugol’s Solution may be administered starting 24 hours pre-injection to protect the thyroid. Keep the BVA at least 3 meters from interference sources like MRI or electrosurgical equipment.
Potential Adverse Events
Potential risks include theoretical allergic reactions and injection site infiltration; the total weekly dosage must not exceed 200 microcuries. Ensure accurate, current height and weight are used for “ideal” volume calculations.
Device and Material Caution
Visually inspect Volumex; discard if particulates are present or if coloration is darker than very pale yellow. Total weekly dosage must not exceed 200 microcuries. Accurate patient height and weight measurements are required to calculate “ideal” volumes; do not use patient history. Clean the unit enclosure with mild detergent or 10% bleach, but never use alcohol on the screen.
Disposal Procedures
Dispose of empty Volumex syringes in an appropriate sharps container after assaying. Blood samples and cartridges may be discarded as standard medical waste in a biohazard container.