Abstract
Irregular surface of the liver is considered mainly caused by liver fibrosis. A total of 88 cases of liver specimen taken by laparoscopy from 1981 to 1985 were stained with aniline blue method. They were processed by personal computer. Then area of collagen fiber was quantified as area percent. They were compared with macroscopical liver surface findings. The percentage of collagen fiber area were 7.02±3.45% in chronic hepatitis and 13.78±5.16% in hepatic cirrhosis. The percentage of cellagen fiber area classified by laparoscopical liver surface findings were as follows. Type I smooth surface 2.99±0.01% Type IIa mild irregular surface 6.12±2.42% Type IIb moderate irregular surface 9.95±4.08% Type IIc severe irregular surface 10.41±5.97% Type IIIa moundlike nodular surface 14.46±6.01% Type IIIb dome-shaped nodular surface 13.61±3.12% The percentage of collagen fiber area had a tendency to increase with liver surface irregulality so that it was considered to be useful to indicate a degree of liver fibrosis objectively.
