[Morphometry in central bronchi and tissue sections. A supplemental method in pneumopathology].

Comparative clinical-pathological studies of pneumopathology call for quantitative analyses of bronchi and pulmonary tissue. Quantification of pathological findings is possible by morphometry. The most important stereologic definitions and the laws of morphometry are briefly described. Methodologic problems are discussed. Baseline data of central bronchi of 5 autopsy cases are calculated (volume densities of the different tissue compartments and the surface density of bronchial basement membrane in three reference volumes). The five patients had normal lung function tests during life.--Further, the grading of emphysema by point-counting on papermounted macrosections is reported. Grading of emphysema on lung slices correlated very well with grading of emphysema by point-counting.