hepatic histology

Last reviewed 08/2021

In primary biliary cirrhosis there are four stages of increasing histological severity:

  • stage I - characterized by portal inflammation with or without florid bile duct lesions
    • shrunken and necrotic biliary epithelial cells
    • granulomata centred on small intrahepatic bile ducts
    • inflammation remains confined to the portal triads
    • primarily a lymphocytic infiltrate
  • stage II- interface hepatitis
    • many portal triads are scarred
    • inflammation spills over into liver parenchyma
    • bile ducts may become tortuous with lumenal obliteration
  • stage III:
    • scarring results in portal triads being linked by fibrous septa
  • stage IV:
    • frank cirrhosis

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