title: Histopathologic characteristics of autoimmune pancreatitis based on comparison with chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the histopathologic characteristics of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), based on comparison with both chronic alcoholic pancreatitis (CAP) and chronic obstructive pancreatitis (COP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three AIP patients, 17 CAP patients, and 19 COP patients were studied histopathologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, especially within and around the pancreatic ducts, and fibrosis associated with AIP, while there was fibrosis accompanied by mild inflammatory infiltration in both CAP and COP. Inter- and intralobular fibrosis admixed with acinar atrophy was observed in both AIP and COP, while interlobular fibrosis combined with a "cirrhosis-like" appearance was found in CAP. Obliterative phlebitis was found in AIP, while thrombosis of the splenic vein was exhibited in CAP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoimmune pancreatitis was histologically characterized by dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate combined with fibrosis, acinar atrophy, obliterative phlebitis, and ductal involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. ksuda@med.juntendo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukumura
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Takaharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Fujihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004487:Edema / Q000473:pathology; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D046790:Pancreas, Exocrine / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000473:pathology*; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D010689:Phlebitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology