Myocardial capillary permeability for small hydrophilic solutes (51Cr-EDTA or 99mTc-DTPA) has been measured using intracoronary indicator bolus injection and external radioactivity registration (the single injection, residue detection method). The method is based on kinetic separation of the injected indicator molecules in an extracted and a transmitted fraction of molecules. In open chest dog hearts measurements performed during normal physiological conditions gave mean capillary extraction values of 43.5-47.5% and the corresponding calculated PdS values were 47.1 - 57.5 ml.(100g.min)-1. From these PdS values Pd values between 1.57.10(-5) and 1.92.10(-5) cm.s-1 were calculated, in accordance with values obtained by other methods. Similar data have been obtained in myocardium of patients undergoing coronary angiography. Oxygen derived free radicals seems to participate in reperfusion injury including microvascular alterations. In open chest dogs transitory increases in capillary extraction fraction and PdS for small hydrophilic solutes were seen following 20 minutes of regional myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. This response could be inhibited by treatment directed against superoxide radicals.