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During the congress, E-Posters will be accessible to all participants on the congress website 24/7, as well as in the E-poster stations in the congress center.
Preparing your E-Poster
Please review the E-Poster format requirements carefully when preparing your E-Poster. Should your E-Poster not meet the mentioned requirements, it may not be displayed as described above.
E-Poster Submission Deadline
Please prepare and upload your E-Poster no later than March 14, 2026 11.59PM CET. After this date, you will no longer be able to prepare and upload your E-poster and it will not be displayed and accessible on the congress website.
Please follow the instructions below to input your abstract title.
Abstract titles should be brief and reflect the content of the abstract.
Morphological alterations of mesothelial cells are importantly associated with the pathogenesis of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritoneal sclerosis and encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis. However, observation of mesothelial cells is often difficult with light microscopy (LM), whereas transmission electron microscopy lacks simplicity and comprehensiveness for routine assessment. Low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM) is a modified technique applicable to paraffin-embedded sections, allowing detailed morphological evaluation of tissue architecture with simple preparation. Although LVSEM has been applied to kidney pathology, it has never been used to evaluate the peritoneum. We applied LVSEM to peritoneal biopsy specimens from several pediatric PD patients to explore its feasibility, practicality, and potential advantages in peritoneal assessment.
Peritoneal biopsy specimens from seven pediatric patients at PD initiation and four patients at PD catheter removal, including three evaluated at both time points, were examined using LVSEM. Sections were stained with periodic acid–methenamine (PAM) and elastica-Masson trichrome staining for both LM and LVSEM, and with platinum-blue for LVSEM, as heavy-metal staining required for LVSEM visualization. Platinum-blue was used to visualize cellular morphology, including mesothelial cells, whereas PAM was mainly used to highlight microvilli. Elastica-Masson trichrome was used for the evaluation of interstitial fibrous components. Morphological findings were compared between LM and LVSEM.
The median age at PD initiation among the seven patients was 13 years (range, 3–16). The median PD duration among the four patients evaluated at PD catheter removal was 21.7 months (range, 1.5–56.5). At PD initiation, mesothelial cell detachment was absent in all seven cases, and microvilli were clearly observed. At PD catheter removal, mesothelial cell detachment was observed in 81.5% (range, 53.3–100%) of the peritoneum, and microvilli were sparse and shortened. In patients who had undergone PD for more than one year, mesothelial cell detachment involved over 70% of the examined area. In the patient who underwent PD for 1.5 months, mesothelial cells appeared hypertrophic.
This study demonstrates the feasibility of applying LVSEM to peritoneal specimens for the first time, allowing simple and detailed observation of mesothelial cells. Further investigations involving more cases are warranted to validate these findings and establish LVSEM as a novel tool in peritoneal pathology.
