RENAL CONTACT MICROANGIOGRAPHY

An Attempt to Determine the Vascular Area within the Kidney

Abstract

Microangiography and contact microangiography are useful for studying the constitutions of the renal microvasculature. In order to obtain a parameter of the renal function with special reference to microcirculation using contact mieroangiographic specimens, the individual glomerular area, the number of glomeruli and the total vascular area (including the glomerular area and the vascular area) in 500μ transverse section of the normal canine kidney were measured with a πMC Particle Measurement Computer System (Millipore). The glomerular area (the number of glomeruli × average individual glomerular area) and the vascular area (the total vascular area-the glomerular area) were calculated.
The results were as follows:
About fourty glomeruli were recognized in the settle area (4.32mm²). The total vascular area had a quarter of the cortex and the glomerular area formed 80 per cent of the total vascular area. The average individual glomerular area in the convex border was a little larger than the one near the renal pedicle.
Since the present technique produced less errors of determination and could be conducted simultaneously with morphological study of the contact microangiogram, we presume that it is useful for investigations of various kinds of pathological kidney as a parameter to indicate changes in renal microcirculation.