Intrahepatic portal-venous changes in dogs with dirofilariasis: scanning electron microscopy of resin casts of vasculature.
Intra hepatic portal-venous changes in dogs with dirofilariasis, in which characteristic cavernous transformation has been histologically observed, were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of resin casts of vasculature. Changes in the central and sublobular veins were the most significant. The venous channels were extremely dilated, thin-walled and showed cavernous structure. SEM observation showed multi-saccular formation with beads-like, helical and extremely dilated configuration. The conducting venules, i.e. terminal tributaries of the portal vein, showed a rapid taper just before the point of merging into sinusoids. Neither vascular proliferation nor collateral circulation around the portal channels could be detected in the present resin cast study.
D000818:Animals; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000473:pathology*; D004283:Dog Diseases; D004285:Dogs; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*