A MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY ON BILE DUCT LESIONS IN PRIMARY BILIARY CIRRHOSIS

Abstract

Morphological changes of interlobular bile ducts in primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis were investigated. Results were as follows : 1) Epithelial cell swelling and/or flattening, karyopyknosis, vacuolated cytoplasm and inflammatory cells in the epithelium were generally observed in primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. Stratification, obstructed lumen or cellular debris and destruction of the wall were more often found in primary biliary cirrhosis than in chronic hepatitis.2) The portal tracts were markedly infiltrated by inflammatory cells in primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. Follicular formation and plasma cell infiltration were usually seen in primary biliary cirrhosis. Granuloma was never found in chronic hepatitis.3) There were same epithelial changes between symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis and asymptomatic one. Granulomas were more frequently seen in asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis than in symptomatic cases.4) Numbers of interlobular bile ducts per portal tracts were 0.23 in symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis and 1.22 in chronic hepatitis. In 3 asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis, those were 0.61, 0.87 and 0.71, respectively.5) The rates of portal tracts without interlobular bile ducts were 81% in symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis and 18% in chronic hepatitis. In 3 asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis, the rates were 72%, 50% and 43%, respectively.6) Serial sections revealed that some bile ducts can be able to followed by ductules in 2 asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis.