Megamitochondria as a diagnostic marker for alcohol induced centrilobular and periportal fibrosis in the liver.

One hundred and five biopsies with centrilobular and/or portal/periportal fibrosis of different aetiology were examined by light microscopy for the presence of megamitochondria (MM). Sixty eight patients had some daily alcohol intake, 37 did not. The incidence of MM in the group with daily alcohol consumption was 49% and in the group without only 5%. Two types of MM were identified. Type I MM (round to oval) were located mainly in zone 3 and type II (needle-shaped) mainly in zone 1. Both types were related to alcoholic liver disease.