Anemic infarcts (also called white infarcts or pale infarcts) are white or pale

infarct Infarction is tissue death (necrosis) due to Ischemia, inadequate blood supply to the affected area. It may be caused by Thrombosis, artery blockages, rupture, mechanical compression, or vasoconstriction. The resulting lesion is referred to as a ...

s caused by

arterial occlusion Arterial occlusion is a condition involving partial or complete blockage of blood flow through an artery. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood to body tissues. An occlusion of arteries disrupts oxygen and blood supply to tissues, l ...

s, and are usually seen in the heart, kidney and spleen. These are referred to as "white" because of the lack of hemorrhaging and limited red blood cells accumulation, (compare to

Hemorrhagic infarct Hemorrhagic infarcts are infarcts commonly caused by occlusion of veins, with red blood cells entering the area of the infarct, or an artery occlusion of an organ with collaterals or dual circulation. These are typically seen in the brain, lungs, ...

). The tissues most likely to be affected are solid organs which limit the amount of hemorrhage that can seep into the area of ischemic necrosis from adjoining capillary beds. The organs typically include single blood supply (no dual arterial blood supply or anastomoses). The infarct generally results grossly in a wedge shaped area of necrosis with the apex closest to the occlusion and the base at the periphery of the organ. The margins will become better defined with time with a narrow rim of congestion attributable to inflammation at the edge of the lesion.Robbins Basic Pathology Relatively few extravasated red cells are lysed so the resulting

hemosiderosis Hemosiderosis is a form of iron overload disorder resulting in the accumulation of hemosiderin. Types include: * Transfusion hemosiderosis * Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis * Transfusional diabetes Organs affected: * Hemosiderin depositi ...

is limited and results in a progressively more pale area of infarction with time. Ischemic

coagulative necrosis Coagulative necrosis is a type of accidental cell death typically caused by ischemia or infarction. In coagulative necrosis, the architectures of dead tissue are preserved for at least a couple of days. It is believed that the injury denatures struc ...

results and fibrosis of the affected area develops from the reparative response beginning at the preserved margins and working its way inwards. One exception to coagulative necrosis is the brain, which undergoes

liquefactive necrosis Liquefactive necrosis (or colliquative necrosis) is a type of necrosis which results in a transformation of the tissue into a liquid viscous mass.Robbins and Cotran: Pathologic Basis of Disease, 8th Ed. 2010. Pg. 15 Often it is associated with foc ...

in response to infarction.

References

Vascular diseases Gross pathology {{circulatory-disease-stub

See also

References