Abstract
To investigate the laparoscopic change of liver surface directory related to the early hepatocellular carcinoma during hepatocarcinogenesis, the liver surface of rat fed with 0.06-0 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) was examined by the smallest diameter fiberscope (MACHIDA ENT-US-30). In the 4th week, the uneveness and localized red spots were appeared. Histological study of the another rat in the same stage showed the hepatic cell necrosis with inflamma-tory cell infiltration. In the 7th week, the red spots seems to be enlarged and the small vessels in the liver wedge increased. There was no necrotic lesion, but the hyperplastic foci which were focused as the ultimate precancerous lesion were seen histologically in this stage. In the stage of 9th to 13th, the red spots became more clear and the liver surface showed the slight irregularity. This appearance was resemble to the so called "patchy liver" in man. These findings showed the possibility that hyperplastic nodule will grow up from these red spots. Also, our technigue in this study is very usefull to reseach the course of precancerous lesion in experimental hepatocarcinogenesis.
