A EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON INFRARED RAY ELECTRONIC ENDOSCOPIC VIEWS OF THE VASCULATURE OF THE STOMACH AND LARGE INTESTINE

Abstract

In an attempt to obtain overall infrared ray electoronic endoscopic views of the vasculature of the stomach and large intestine an experimental study was conducted on 8 adult dogs. Microangiograms of the vasuculature were taken with two contrast agents of different colors, one injected into an artery and the other into a vein, and compared with corresponding infrared ray electoronic endoscopic views. Blood vessels that were visualized by infrared ray electoronic endoscopy were found to represent those segments of submucosal venules, above 200 μm in diameter, which were intermediate between their portal of entry into the muscularis propria and that into the muscularis mucosae, the image faithfully representing the actual course and configuration of the vessels. The mucosa, muscularis mucosae and propria, and serosa were not visualized. There was an arteriole accompanying the submucosal venules delineated by infrared ray electoronic endoscopy and, in the stomach, this arteriole was estimated to account for approximately 19% of the total diameter of the infrared ray image of vessels. Likewise, in the large intestine, blood vessels visualized by infrared ray electoronic endoscopy turned out to be submucosal venules, in the proximity of which an accompany-ing arteriole was noted to run. The study clearly defined the anatomical portion of veins in the gastrointestinal walls that can be visualized by infrared ray electoronic endoscopy and also confirmed that this endoscopic technique can afford information on the course and size of the submucosal arteriole.