Analysis of the radiographically visualized deep hepatic lymph drainage in the dog.

The deep hepatic lymph drainage of 9 cholecystectomized dogs was analyzed after radiographic visualization with retrograde biliary infusion of Ethiodol. No drainage from the deep to the superficial lymph system of the liver was found with the described method. Primary stations of the deep hepatic lymph drainage are the hepatic, left gastric and splenic lymph nodes although the latter two were not always opacified. On the average 9 (6-11) hepatic lymph nodes were opacified which is a significantly higher number than previously reported. Retrograde contrast material filling of splenic, mesenteric, aortic, iliac and some intrathoracic lymph nodes occurred with various frequencies but the opacification of these nodes was usually incomplete.