Post-mortem aeroportography

The authors suggest a new methodology for the study of the intrahepatic portal system, using atmospheric air as a contrast medium. They used 48 livers of normal and pathological corpses, obtaining post-mortem cholangiographies and vinyl molds. Comparing the images obtained with literature data and with the vinyl molds, the authors conclude that the method is accurate, presenting furthermore many advantages with regard to contrasts generally used, such as low cost, easy performance, possibility repeating the radiographs as many times as necessary, and the possibility of simultaneous obtaining contrasts of other intra-hepatic systems by use of other radio-opaque contrast media in another system, as for example the biliary or the arterial system.