Changes in vascular endothelium related to lymphocyte collections in diseased synovia.

A population of small blood vessels are described in the synovia of patients with a number of different arthropathies. These vessels are identical to the high endothelial venules (HEV) of lymph node paracortex, known to be the site of lymphocyte diapedesis from blood to tissues. The significance of this finding and its possible role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritides are discussed.