Urinary System
Urinary Bladder - Angiectasis
Narrative
Comment:
Focal blood vessel dilation in the urinary bladder may be diagnosed as angiectasis (Figure 1 and Figure 2). These lesions are typically reported as spontaneous lesions but have been reported with vasodilating chemicals. Angiectasis is commonly noted in the submucosa as a focal or multifocal finding that tends to be irregular and not well circumscribed
Angiectasis must be differentiated from hemangioma. The distinction is not always obvious: hemangiomas tend to be well circumscribed, unencapsulated masses composed of tightly packed dilated vascular spaces, each enclosed and lined by a single layer of normal-appearing endothelial cells aligned on a thin collagenous stroma.
Angiectasis must be differentiated from hemangioma. The distinction is not always obvious: hemangiomas tend to be well circumscribed, unencapsulated masses composed of tightly packed dilated vascular spaces, each enclosed and lined by a single layer of normal-appearing endothelial cells aligned on a thin collagenous stroma.
Recommendations:
Angiectasis should be diagnosed and given a severity grade.
References:
Gaillard ET. 1999. Ureter, urinary bladder and urethra. In: Pathology of the Mouse: Reference and Atlas (Maronpot RR, Boorman GA Gaul BW, eds). Cache River Press, Vienna, IL, 235-258.
Abstract: http://www.cacheriverpress.com/books/pathmouse.htm