Polariscopic and Histochemical Studies in Angiokeratoma Corporis Diffusum

Abstract

Through adaptation of a method of study used extensively in crystallography and mineralogy,¹ the advantages of polarization microscopy can be utilized in the histopathologic study of tissue. For the most part deposits of lipid have been studied in this manner. Polarization microscopy has been utilized previously to study vacuolation in cases of angiokeratoma corporis diffusum, but it has been of little assistance in distinguishing neutral fats, fatty acids, phospholipids, and glycolipids from one another. However, it seems possible that lipids can be further studied by use of various staining procedures. Scriba, Hornbostel, and Ruiter^2-4 demonstrated rather extensive changes at necropsy in the vascular system of patients dying of angiokeratoma corporis diffusum. These changes consisted of vacuolation and deposition of lipid. We recently reported a case of this disease,⁵ including laboratory findings and evidence of systemic disease. We have carried out further laboratory studies in