An endoscopic atrophic border at the lower portion of the stomach has been recognized and proved as a bounpary between the pyloric and fundic gland territories. And this also means histologically atrophy of the pyloric gland and non-atrophy of the fundic gland. But the study of sucha border in the cardiac portion has not yet been known well enough. In this report, the existence of sucha border in the cardiac portion was confirmed endo scopically by the use of Congo red method and investigated histologically by biopsy.Method After washing of the gastric mucosa with 5% sodium bicarbonate, 50cc of 0.3% Congo red solution was supplied into the stomach and 50mg of Histalog was injected intramuscularly. Then Fibergastroscope was inserted to observe a discoloring reaction at the gastric cardia and to perform biopsy under direct vision.Results By the discoloration of Congo red, a black colored zone was distinguished from a red zone, and a boundary became manifest endoscopically between them around the esophagogastric junction in all 39 cases. The patterns of this border were classified into 4 types (I-IV). Histological changes of the both sides across this border showed atrophic and inflammatory changes at the red zone, and normal mucosa at the black colored zone both in the fundic gland territory. The number of parietal cells were remarkably decreased at the red zone. So it seems to us that this border is also the boundary between atrophy and non-atrophy, but this is by no means the meaning of boundary between fundic and cardiac glands.
