A method for the three-dimensional study of pulmonary arteries.

Fixation of lung in inflation has permitted the study of large sections in which the three-dimensional relationships of pulmonary vessels could be evaluated. A method was developed to section, stain and embed serial thick sections into permanent plastic slides. The use of the technique in the evaluation of normal and diseased pulmonary arteries has resulted in a new look at the course and spatial distribution and relationships of vascular structures. The method has been especially valuable in the study of the three-dimensional characteristics of plexiform lesions in patients with pulmonary hypertension. It may offer a useful tool in the evaluation of the nature and pathogenesis of these and other vascular abnormalities.