Pathological and histometrical studies on the liver with idiopathic portal hypertension

Abstract

Fourteen authentic necropsy cases with idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) had been collected from various institutions in Kanto District. Moreover, thirteen authentic biopsy specimens and three normal necropsy livers were also submitted for this study. Macroscopical scurtiny was throughly performed, and all parts of each frontal liver slices were examined histopathologically. Histometrical study was carried out extensively i.e., dimensions of portal tracts and its hollow structures were mesured with point counting method.
The results obtained were as follows: 1) Macroscopical findings of the IPH livers of authentic necropsy cases were described circumstantially. 2) Microscopical changes of intrahepatic portal tracts were reported systematically. It was revealed that hepatic veins, which had been assumed to have no remarkable changes in IPH, had considerable changes. 3) Histometrical study indicated that from fifth to twelveth portal vein branches, which characterized by occlusive sclerotic venopathy, showed conspicuous luminal decrease, and an increase of hepatic arterial beds. It could be deduced that scar-like fibrotic changes of the most peripheral portal tracts were one of the essential changes of IPH. 4) In analysis of trace elements of the liver by means of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, no peculiar result for IPH was found. 5) It is the author's impression that one of the characteristic features of IPH liver was the ununiformity of distribution and grade of intrahepatic vascular changes.