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

Reference:

• (1) Lindor KD et al. Primary biliary cirrhosis. Hepatology. 2009;50(1):291-308