SUMMARY Retrograde pancreatography has been carried out at necropsy in 120 cases and the results have been analysed in statistical detail. With increasing age, changes in pancreatic anatomy occur which must not be taken to indicate pathology. These changes are: (1) low or ptotic position of the pancreas so that the papilla of Vater is below the level of L3; (2) calcification of the splenic and superior mesenteric arteries which produce calcific densities around the pancreas; (3) increasing width of main pancreatic duct along its whole length at about 8 % per decade; in the elderly, widths of 1 cm can occur in the main duct in the head of the pancreas without evidence of obstruction; (4) formation of ductular ectasia which affects mainly the interlobular ductules but also intralobular ductules; (5) some ectatic ducts reach the dimensions of cysts, ie, 1-2 cm in diameter.Other morphological changes which have been demonstrated and which may produce difficulties in radiological interpretation are: (a) narrowed ducts not due to stricture; (b) space-occupying lesions due to superior mesenteric artery, splenic artery, aorta, vertebral osteophytes, sympathetic ganglion, and lymph nodes; (c) metastases in the pancreas-these must be distinguished from primary pancreatic carcinoma.The implications of these findings for endoscopy and isotope pancreatic scanning will be mentioned.In a recent study on pancreatic morphology it was shown that there is a considerable variation in the position and shape of th epancreas as well as in calibre of the duct. Ductular changes were also commonly found. Further work was therefore undertaken to elucidate these problems, and the results have now been subjected to statistical analysis, indicating that some of these variations are related to age. The present communication draws particular attention to the variation in pancreatic morphology related to aging. Method and MaterialThe results of 120 normal necropsy pancreatic duct cannulations, as carried out by the method previously described (Sandin, Kreel,

No abstract

An experimental model has been designed to assess the effect of vascularisation on axon regeneration in nerve grafts. The vascular status of the grafts has been demonstrated by microangiography and histology. Rat sciatic nerve grafts in which the vascular pedicles were left intact retained a normal vascular pattern which was not adversely affected by wrapping the graft in a polythene sleeve. In devascularised grafts, revascularisation commenced at three days and was complete at nine days. If the devascularised grafts were wrapped in a polythene sleeve, revascularisation was impeded and at fifteen days the middle segment of the graft was avascular and infarcted. The rate of axon regeneration was measured electrophysiologically in the above four groups of nerve grafts. There was a linear relationship between the rate of axon regeneration with time post-graft, axon growth proceeding at a mean rate of 1.150mm/day (S.E. +/- 0.084) after a mean delay of 4.85 days. There was no significant difference in the rate of axon regeneration in the four groups.

Fixation of lungs at necropsy by inflation with formaldehyde vapour was used in a combined radiological and pathological study of pulmonary oedema. Pulmonary oedema was found in 79% of lungs examined. The earliest phases affect the interstitial tissue with oedematous connective tissue planes and distension of pulmonary lymphatics. These changes may be associated with reduction in the compliance of the lung. Alveolar filling is a late stage in the accumulation of oedema fluid in the lungs.

No abstract