[Comparative study of coronary vessel diameters in intravital and postmortal angiograms (author's transl)]

In a total of 21 mongrel dogs a comparison between intravital and postmortal coronary arteriograms was made so as to establish the difference in vessel diameter. Fresh postmortal hearts injected in situ showed an average increase in coronary vessel diameter of approx. 6 per cent. Examinations of 24 hour postmortal hearts which were removed from the animals showed a vessel diameter increase of barely 20 per cent in the mean. These 20 per cent correspond fairly well with literature information about the maximal widening of coronary vessels with nitroglycerin. Nerves which are still functioning, and humoral substances which may influence the still living muscle in vessel walls are supposed to be the reason for the smaller increase in fresh postmortal in situ illustrated coronary arteries. It must be stressed, that the measured differences between intravital and postmortal coronary artery diameters can only be representative of wall sections free of arterioslcerosis.