Reduced ratio of portal tracts to paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts.

The syndrome of "paucity" of intrahepatic bile ducts is characterized by a reduction of the ratio of interlobular bile ducts to portal areas. The present unidirectional study of liver biopsy specimens in cases of so-called intrahepatic biliary atresia, controlled essentially by age-matched autopsy control, showed that there is also a reduced number of portal areas in the livers of these subjects. This fact suggests an injury to the vascular anlage associated with biliary injury.