The application of electron microscopic morphometry as helpful method in the diagnosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) early phase. I. Morphometric electron microscopic studies of renal glomeruli in cases of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), minimal change disease (MCD) and mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (GNMES) in children.

Electron microscopy morphometric studies were carried out on material obtained from children with minimal change disease (MCD), mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (GNMES) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The results indicated that an increase in the volume of the matrix in mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis was due to an increase in the number of cells. The amount of produced matrix in mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis was proportional to the number of cells in mesangium (so there is no overproduction of matrix). The ratios of mesangial matrix volume to cell volume and matrix volume to the volume of the entire mesangial region in MCD and GNMES were similar and differed significantly from the ratios found in FSGS. The present findings indicate that morphometric studies may be useful in the early diagnosis of glomerular sclerosis. This is particularly significant in cases where light microscopic examination fails to reveal changes indicative of glomerular sclerosis.