Histological grading and sequential morphological changes during the production of acute duodenal ulcers

A method of grading histological changes in the duodenum and the sequential morphological appearances during the development of acute duodenal ulceration is described. After s.c. infusion of ulcerogenic doses of gastric secretagogues, rats were killed hourly and the duodenal lesions were graded from 1, which was the earliest change seen consisting of focal necrosis of the tips of villi to 6, which showed perforation of duodenal ulcer. For the first 4 h the duodenum was normal but after this there was progressive necrosis of the mucosa and submucosa, and inflammatory-cell infiltration. From 18 h rats were shown to have duodenal ulcers with or without perforation.