Vascular and ductal patterns of pancreas by microradiography and their relation to lesions of pancreatitis.

Abstract

Histopathological findings of pancreas freshly obtained from 108 autopsy cases were analyzed and individual lesions were correlated with vascular and ductal patterns revealed by microradiography. As the intralobular artery was demon-strated as a terminal artery, its functional and/or organic occlusion was expected to produce focal atrophy, parenchymal necrosis and fibrosis of lobular unit. Atrophy of acinar cells leading to replacement by isolated fat cells developed presumably from disturbance of systemic arterial circulation. Venous stasis seemed to be responsible for the formation of pseudolobules. Organic and/or functional obstructions in any part of the pancreatic duct caused various lesions of pancreatitis. Periductal location of focal necrosis and cell infiltration was regarded as a result of pancreatic juice leakage. Because the peripheral range of the pancreas was abundant in ductules, fat necrosis and fibrosis probably of ductal origin preferred the periphery. It was presumed that the ductal and vascular factors could interact each other in producing pancreatitis and both might even precipitate serious damages of the pancreas.