Masshoff et al estimated the muscle mass of the heart from its specific gravity.
Parameters:
(1) total heart weight
(2) total heart volume
specific gravity of the heart =
= (total heart weight in grams) / (total heart volume in mL)
The percent of heart weight that is cardiac muscle can be estimated from the specific gravity. This ranges from 100% for a specific gravity of 1.055 to 0% for a specific gravity of 0.941.
• The preparation of the heart must be meticulous and standardized for reproducible results. Even a small amount of water or blood can affect the result.
• The weight and volume must be taken meticulously.
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