The use of morphometry in the study of nodular and vascular lesions of the liver.

This paper summarizes the use of morphometry on human autopsy livers to investigate three conditions characterized by the presence of hepatocellular nodules: nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH), partial nodular transformation (PNT) and focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH). Vascular abnormalities were seen in all cases. The nodules can be explained in all three conditions as a response to a greater blood supply in the nodules as compared to the surrounding parenchyma. In NRH, there appears to be ischemia caused by arteritis and secondary oblitertion of small portal veins. In PNT, ischemia may be caused by portal vein thrombosis. In FNH, there appears to be hyperemia caused by a spiderlike arterial anomaly.