Hepatitis--a diagnostic approach to histopathologic interpretation of liver biopsy specimens.

This paper discusses the differential diagnoses of "hepatitis" from a pathologist's point of view. An initial blind approach to the interpretation of liver biopsy specimens is recommended to avoid a biased diagnosis. The term "hepatitis" is subdivided into the following morphologic categories--lobular, portal, periportal and cholestatic hepatitis groups. In each group, the possible clinical diagnoses are discussed in order of likelihood. Salient histologic criteria, diagnostic histopathologic problems and pitfalls are highlighted. The final diagnosis should be based on a clinicopathologic correlation.