Abstract
Diameters and numbers of nodules were studied during the development of liver cirrhosis (LC). Based on three-dimensional analysis of cirrhotic nodules in 6 autopsy cases with LC, the shape was considered to be nearly spherical, although nodules were partially connected to each other. In 163 cases of LC, diameters of surface nodules were laparos-copically measured. Diameters of nodules of advanced cirrhosis (code No. 500) increased 3.3 times in B type, 2.3 in non A, non B type and 2.2 in alcoholic type compared with those in precirrhotic stage (code No. 300). According to analysis of 114 of 163 cases, in which hepatic volume (HV) was measured by CT scan, HV of advanced cirrhosis was 30% smaller in B type, 25% in non A, non B type and 10% in alcoholic type than HV of precirrhotic stage. In 73 cases, numbers of nodules were calculated in use of HV, percentage of parenchyma and diameters of nodules, and numbers of nodules of advanced cirrhosis were marked low (1/40 in B type, 1/13 in non A, non B type and 1/12 in alcoholic type) in comparison with those of precirrhotic stage. It was supposed that after LC had been formed structually, hepatic necrosis caused nodule vanishing, and nodules which saved from necrosis enlarged by regeneration.
